Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco who left The Bachelor when work came calling, is the new Bachelorette.

The announcement was made Monday after Jake Pavelka made his big decision and Vienna Girardi and Tenley Molzahn learned their fates.

“I’m so excited,” Fedotowsky told host Chris Harrison on the After the Final Rose special. “I’m so thrilled and honored and grateful … I feel so blessed.”

Although she admitted she was nervous about starring on her own season of The Bachelorette — and compared it to the way she felt when she decided to leave the show, only to call Jake and ask to return — she said, “I’m not going to let my fear dictate my life anymore.”

She continued: “I want to find someone and I want to be in love and I want to get married and have kids and all of that and this is my chance so I’m not going to make the same mistake.”

When Harrison asked her what she wanted from the show, she joked, “I want 50 guys, not 25.”

But when Harrison pressed about her type, Fedotowsky opened up. “I want a funny, smart, kind of quirky guy,” she said. “In general, I don’t really need anything in particular. I’m not looking for a type of guy, I’m looking for a feeling.”

A lot of fans are shocked Jake proposed to Vienna. What do you think?I understand why he picked Vienna. He has a lot of fun with her. [On the show] I saw him act more with her like he acted with me — relaxed, laid back, having fun. I believed the whole season long it was Vienna.

Have you talked to Jake since leaving the show?I talked to him at the Women Tell All taping briefly. That’s it.

There were rumors that you and Jake had secret rendezvous after the show.No, those are all false.

How do you feel about being the subject of tabloid gossip?It affects me. I’m only human. I have really great friends and support. When my mind starts to veer off in the wrong direction, I have people here reminding me I’m better than that and I don’t need to listen to what people are saying about me. I know who I am. And it’s kind of funny because I used to read some of these magazines and think it was all true! Now I look at them and I’m like, huh? That’s not true at all! Now I wonder what other stuff I’ve been reading is false.

Fans really liked seeing you and Jake together.I think it’s cute that people are holding onto the hope that Jake and I might get back together. If anything, I’m almost flattered by that rumor. I’m glad that people saw what I saw in our relationship.

Have you been dating since you left the show?Before I was actually [picked to be] the Bachelorette I was like, I wish I was dating, then I wouldn’t be alone right now. No, I have not been dating, seeing anyone. I have a lot of guy friends so maybe someone mistakenly saw me out with a friend.

We heard your hometown deli, Pappa Charlie’s, will name a sandwich after you? My sister joked with me — she said what makes you more special in my eyes is Pappa Charlie’s is naming a sandwich after you. We’re all excited.

"INSIDE THE BACHELOR:" THE STORIES BEHIND THE ROSE,"A SPECIAL EDITION OF "20/20," MONDAY, MARCH 15 ABCAnchored by Deborah Roberts and Chris Connelly,"20/20" Takes Viewers Behind the Scenes of ABC's "The Bachelor"

On Monday, March 15, ABC News' "20/20" will air a special, two-hour edition of the broadcast, "Inside the Bachelor: The Stories Behind the Rose." Anchored by Deborah Roberts and Chris Connelly, with "GMA" contributor Melissa Rycroft as special correspondent, "20/20" takes viewers inside ABC's "The Bachelor." From casting sessions, to never-before-seen audition tapes, "Inside the Bachelor: The Stories Behind the Rose" will include exclusive interviews with former Bachelors and Bachelorettes, as well as former contestants, including: Dr. Travis Stork, Ryan and Trista Sutter, Andrew Firestone; Meredith Phillips, Charlie O'Connell and many other fan favorites.

Brad Womack, Season 11's "Bachelor," who left both final women without a rose - and without a ring -- opens up to "20/20" about his life today and what he's learned from being front and center in the reality TV's spotlight. Womack is also reunited with one of the final women during that season, DeAnna Pappas. Loveable, funnyman Bob Guiney -- who did not find love on-camera -- talks to "20/20" for the first time since his split with his soap star wife, Rebecca Budig. "20/20" also catches up with former "Bachelor" Byron Velvick and the woman who won his heart and the final rose, Mary Delgado. When the cameras stopped rolling, Byron and Mary were enjoying their engagement and planning a life together, that is until a late night call to the police and years of tremulous ups and downs put an end to their romance. "20/20" updates viewers on where they are now.

In addition "20/20" features more of Jake Pavelka and his new fiancee, Vienna, including what viewers didn't see during this season of "The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love." The program also explores surprise endings that contestants encounter from their 15 minutes of fame, most notably Melissa Rycroft. Millions tuned in to watch single father Jason Mesnick propose marriage to Melissa. But on the "After the Final Rose" special, Jason famously dumped Melissa for runner-up Molly Malaney. Rycroft went from being humiliated on national television to find herself a surprise contestant on "Dancing with the Stars," with an aspiring television career.

"Inside the Bachelor: The Stories Behind the Rose" will revisit some of the most shocking and memorable moments in "Bachelor" history, and share a rare interview with "Bachelor" creator/executive producer Mike Fleiss and executive producer, Martin Hilton. Host Chris Harrison talks about what goes on behind the closed doors of the mansion.

The Bachelorette Just Misses the Disastrous Eruption of Iceland's Volcano While Filming There

Ali Fedotowsky, the beautiful, energetic and charismatic career-oriented woman from San Francisco is back. She has re-prioritized her life - and now is ready to find her soul mate. Ali will have her own opportunity to find true love, as the sixth edition of "The Bachelorette," the female version of ABC's hit romance reality series, premieres MONDAY, MAY 24 (9:02-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali, 25, has been a fan favorite from the moment she stepped out of the limo to meet Jake Pavelka on the last season of "The Bachelor." She became the front-runner for Jake's heart, but in a shocking turn of events, she was forced to make a heartbreaking choice between her dream job and continuing her relationship with Jake. Ali surprisingly chose her career - a decision she still regrets. But it's not too late for Ali now. She's left her home, her job, her stability behind - letting go of everything this time -- to really make a life-changing commitment to put her heart first and take a second chance at finding true love.

Editor's note: Beginning Monday, May 31, the program moves to its regular two-hour run time from 8:00-10:02 p.m., ET.

This season's premiere, "Episode 601," begins with 25 eligible men arriving from all over the country to try and win Ali's heart, including a real estate investor, a lawyer, a TV weatherman and even a professional wrestler. Each is more handsome than the next, with standout personalities. Tonight, as she returns to the mansion, nothing can prepare Ali for the lengths the guys will go to for her attention: one outdoorsman literally tries to reel her in, a hunky skier does a death-defying back flip off the limo and a one man even gets down on one knee and proposes.

Inside, the men are blown away about how incredibly gorgeous Ali looks in her slinky black dress - and the battle of the bachelors begins, as each tries to make the best first impression on the stunning Bachelorette. An aspiring writer is the first to snag some alone time with Ali, sharing his very inspiring story. One man scores some points with a sentimental scrapbook he made for her, but one clever guy steals the show and Ali's attention with a heart-felt, hilarious song, accompanying himself on a ukulele.

The competition heats up when Chris Harrison brings out the first impression rose. A sexy Latin bachelor seizes the moment to take Ali outside and teach her some salsa steps. Another handsome suitor rips his shirt open to reveal his professional wrestler alter ego, and a rugged country guy gives Ali a beautiful hand-crafted wood necklace to make his point.

But Ali grows concerned when one of the men uses his one-on-one time to warn her - already - that there may be some men here for reasons other than love. Chris comes to the rescue as he brings in a ballot box and instructs the men to each write down the name of a guy they feel isn't here for the right reasons. Tensions rise and tempers clash as the men size each other up and call each other out. As the men battle, Ali scoops up the first impression rose and offers it to someone who swept her off her feet. When the votes are tallied, one bachelor gets an overwhelming number of votes. But even though he is a marked man, Ali gives him some private time to convince her that his intentions are sincere. But will he have done enough to get a rose?

By the end of the evening, Ali, having the time of her life, is optimistic that the man of her dreams is among this group of bachelors. She must eliminate eight of the 25 men the first night, leaving 17 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.

A list of bachelors will be released shortly.

Ali's hunt for Mr. Right will take place during some of the most romantic and adventurous dates ever, with exciting surprises in store for her bachelors as they travel around the globe for intimate dates in Hollywood, Las Vegas, New York, Iceland, Istanbul, Lisbon and Tahiti. Ali and one lucky man sneak up to the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles, enjoying the city lights below. She whisks away one fortunate bachelor on a private jet to an exciting date at a new Las Vegas resort, which ends with a private performance by popular English jazz-pop singer Jamie Cullum. Nine guys are surprised when they get to shoot a music video with the Barenaked Ladies. Ali's Manhattan adventure starts with a glamorous photo shoot and make-over for InStyle magazine's July issue, out in mid-June. And the lights of Broadway are not far behind, as Ali auditions seven men to try and sing and dance their way into her heart with the hopes of being chosen to be featured with her in that night's performance of the landmark Tony Award-winning musical, "The Lion King." Ali and one of the lucky bachelors are surprised by a private concert from one of the Bachelorette's favorites, singer-songwriter Joshua Radin and the Harlem Boys Choir.

Traveling half way around the world, Ali and the remaining men visit the beautiful and exotic country of Iceland. The intrepid group transverse a frigid mountain plateau to a cave where they go spelunking. Then they enjoy a dip in the famous geothermal hot springs, Blue Lagoon. Ali takes two anxious men on a breathtaking helicopter ride over the active Eyjafjallajokull Volcano shortly before its eruption caused massive travel tremors around the world. The incredible outing leads to a huge glacier and a spectacular and romantic ice cave. But things steam up when Ali and the men move on to Istanbul, Turkey. The fun is just starting, as some of the bachelors must compete for Ali's time and attention, grappling with gargantuan Turkish olive oil wrestlers in a slippery throw-down. Lisbon, Portugal is the location for magical dates in romantic medieval settings at the Castle Sao Jorge and the town of Obidos, where Ali and two of the men don historic garments and are joined by local villagers in a dance. Finally, three lucky men travel with Ali to the island paradise of Tahiti for some of the most exotic and sensual overnight dates ever.

As in the past, men will continue to be eliminated each week, but if at any point along the way a bachelor should decide that he's no longer interested in the Bachelorette, he can reject her invitation to continue dating. Two lucky men will meet her family, and she will visit the final bachelors' hometowns for a slice of their lives in an effort to determine the man with whom she is most compatible -- but there are surprises in store for Ali that shake her world. At the end of the journey, the Bachelorette may quite possibly have found true love. But the big question is: After all of this, will he pop the question, and will she say yes?

ALI BEGINS HER SEARCH FOR THAT ONE SPECIAL MAN WHEN "THE BACHELORETTE" PREMIERES, MONDAY, MAY 24, ON ABC

Ali's Suitors Are Revealed

What do a handsome entertainment wrestler with an impressive alter ego, a weatherman from Texas who forecasts sunny skies ahead for the Bachelorette and himself, an aspiring screenwriter attempting to script the perfect Hollywood ending, a self-declared ladies' man and a sensitive but strong-willed landscaper all have in common? They're all on the hunt for the new Bachelorette, Ali Fedotowsky, when the sixth edition of the female version of ABC's popular romance reality series, "The Bachelorette," premieres MONDAY, MAY 24 (9:00-11:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali, 25, who most recently was an account manager in on-line advertising from San Francisco, meets 25 potential soul mates as she begins her own search for true love. In the premiere, "Episode 601," 25 eligible men come from all over to try and win her heart. Kyle, the outdoorsman, tries to reel Ali in right from the start. Jason, a hunky skier, impresses the Bachelorette with a death-defying back flip off the limo, and John C. attempts to take all the other men out of the picture as he gets down on one knee and proposes.

Once inside, Ali lives every woman's dream- surrounded by 25 handsome men - all there just for her. As the biggest night of her life begins, so does the competition between the men. Frank, an aspiring writer, shares his inspiring story of how he left his high-paying career to move to Paris and follow his dream. Kirk scores points with a sentimental scrapbook he presents to Ali. But Hunter, a clever Texan, steals the show with a heart-felt hilarious song, accompanying himself on the ukulele.

Tensions mount and sparks fly as the bachelors vie for the first impression rose. Roberto, a romantic Latin bachelor, takes a moment to steal Ali away and teach her some sexy salsa steps. Justin doesn't let a broken foot get in his way, as he rips his shirt open to reveal his professional wrestling alter ego. And Jesse offers a beautiful wooden heart necklace as an original token of his admiration. Finally, Ali must eliminate eight of the 25 men, leaving 17 to compete for her affections and, in the end, her heart.

Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco and former contestant on The Bachelor is the newest star of Bachelorette. Each week, she will be blogging for PEOPLE.com and sharing her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the upcoming season. “The real me — the good, bad and the ugly.” In today’s blog, Fedotowsky gives her first impressions of her 25 suitors — and shares why it was tough to let eight men go.

Hi everyone,

What a night! Let me first say that this was the most terrifying and exciting night of my life. I’m sure it is so obvious to all of you that I was unbelievably nervous. Throughout the night I said things that didn’t even make sense.

To Chris L: “Have a good night!” Oh my. Poor guy. It’s like I was saying, “Thanks for coming! See you at the rose ceremony.”

To Jesse: “You’re a what man?” I think he told me his was a “peculiar man” about four times before I actually heard him.

To Roberto, when he told me his name: “You’re going to have to help me with that one.” Really? I couldn’t pronounce Roberto? Pull it together, girl!

To Frank: “Paris is amazing. I’ve never been.” How would I know it was amazing if I’ve never been?

The first guy I met was Chris H. How adorable is he?! I remember thinking, “If 24 more guys like Chris H. get out of these limos, then there is absolutely no way I will be able to let anyone go tonight.” Be careful what you wish for because I met 24 more amazing men that night. Kyle reeled me in, Jonathan N. brought a little sunshine into my life and John C. proposed! I can’t believe all the things they did to get my attention. All I can say is: It worked.

Once I met all of the guys, I was excited to get inside and get to know them. Derrick, I mean Shooter, well, I don’t think I need to explain this one. I hope Derrick’s friends aren’t giving him too hard of a time for telling me that story. He was a good sport. I’m sure many of you are wondering if I didn’t give him a rose because he told me that story. No, that was not the case. I had to let eight guys go and I just didn’t think Shooter was a match for me, regardless of, well, you know.

Next up, the “first impression” rose: I really wanted to make sure that I thought carefully about who received the “first impression” rose. I wanted to give it to a guy that I could see a future with and on the first night, I got that feeling from Roberto. I just felt so comfortable with him and there was an immediate connection. Plus, he is super hot, which didn’t hurt.

All and all, the night went smoothly — up until the ballot box came out. I felt really bad that the guys had to write a name down, but having their advice that night couldn’t be a bad thing.

When Chris read Justin‘s name, I was shocked. Talking with him he seemed so nice and sincere! Justin thought the guys chose him because he is a wrestler, and I honestly feel bad that a few of the guys were making fun of something he loves to do. Okay, an entertainment wrestler isn’t the type of guy I’d normally date, but I commend him for doing what makes him happy regardless of what others think. I decided to keep Justin because he was nothing but nice to me.

Letting eight guys go at the end of the night was hard. In particular, I really would have liked to spend more time with Phil and Jay. They both seem like fun, genuine guys that I would have liked to have gotten to know better.

All in all, it was definitely a crazy first night and that is just the beginning! Until next week …

I want to start off this blog — and this season — with a big “Thank You!” This is our 20th season of The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. It’s a remarkable accomplishment in this day and age of television, and on behalf of the hundreds of people who make this show happen each and every year, I’ll say it again: Thank you. Making this show is much more than a job for all of us; it’s a passion and a labor of love. While this show has evolved with the times over the last eight years, it really hasn’t ever changed or wavered from its roots. It’s still really about that one thing we hope to achieve and find in our lives: love.

Watching the recap of Ali and Jake at the beginning of the first episode was a little strange. For some reason, that night at the Beverly Wilshire, when she chose her job over Jake, seems like years ago. I want to point out something very important that Ali mentioned several times throughout tonight’s episode, something that will play a huge part in and essentially shape this entire season: Ali is a vulnerable woman. Her biggest fear this season is that she will fall in love but not be loved back. This is a wild, tumultuous season for Ali. Unfortunately, her greatest fear is somewhat realized, and it’s something Ali had to face head-on and deal with.

The first episode is always hard to blog about because you’re just getting to know everybody. I do, however, love to break down the different styles the guys use to make a first impression. First off, there are way too many guys named Chris this season. I promise you, I will see to it this will not happen again. Then we have Frank, who is the first bachelor or bachelorette to ever come out of the top of the limo. Kyle, who went home, went with the fishhook maneuver — a classic move that I normally would rip apart, but you know what, it played okay. Craig M., who will undo all the goodwill Jillian created for Canada on our show, came out with a knock on Vienna. I’ve got to stick up for my friend Vienna and say, “Not a cool move, buddy.” Kirk created a paper rose for Ali. I think Ali saved him a little bit, but it worked all right. Tyler M. made the biggest gaffe of anybody during the arrivals. Note to all men: If you’re going to make mention of something that a woman did, like wear cowboy boots, make sure you’ve got the right woman! Ali didn’t wear cowboy boots on night one. And then there’s Derrick … ohhh, Derrick. I would say bless your heart, but you did this to yourself, my friend. Telling Ali your nickname is “Shooter” was bad enough. “Shooter” is just not the kind of nickname a woman is going to find cute or endearing. But when you tell her you “earned” that name due to premature ejaculation…. Damn, dude, what can I tell you? That’s just not something any woman wants to hear two minutes after meeting you. The good news is at least you didn’t share this information on national television. Oh wait.

After cleaning up the hot tea I spit across the control room from hearing Derrick explain his nickname, I brought out the ballot box for the boys. Well, actually my man Paul Danner brought it out (by the way ladies, Pauly is still single). The guys didn’t like the idea of the ballot box at first, but then quickly changed their tune. As it turned out, Justin easily got the majority of the votes. Ali decided to go against the guys’ decision and give Justin (aka “Rated R”) a rose and keep him around. I will back up her decision here. Justin said and did nothing wrong that first night to be sent home. The whole wrestling, “Rated R” thing rubbed some of the guys the wrong way, but Justin was really good with Ali, and I understand her choice. With that said, this is not the end of Rated R’s controversy, nor is it the end of his problems with the other guys in the house. On the flip side, Roberto received the first impression rose. Ali appeared to be blushing when she was trying to give him the rose.

The first night of the season really just gets the ball rolling, and things take off in a hurry from here. This season takes us around the world and back. We even dodge a volcanic eruption, only to be delayed by that very volcano when we least expected it. I’ve been known to throw around the word “dramatic” from time to time, but to say this season has plenty of drama doesn’t fully explain all that lies ahead. The tease at the end of the show gives you just a little taste of all the trials and tribulations Ali will have to deal with right up to the very end. It’s our 20th season, a huge milestone; I think you’ll agree when it’s all said and done that this may be our best ever.

Will, can you keep track of who is sent home the first couple of weeks until it get's to a number that is easier to remember who is there and who isn't? I watched the show and can't even remember who she sent home already!

IT’S DESTINATION HOLLYWOOD FOR ALI AND ONE LUCKY GUY, AS THEY SHARE THE SEASON’S FIRST KISS; A HOT, HOT, HOT CHARITY CALENDAR SHOOT HAS THE MEN STRIKING THEIR BEST POSES, AND SOULFUL SINGER JAMIE CULLUM SERENADES ALI AND ONE HUNKY BACHELOR ON A LUXE TRIP TO LAS VEGAS, ON ABC’S “THE BACHELORETTE”“Episode 602” – Hot in Hollywood, sizzling on a Malibu beach and steamy in Las Vegas -- the dates for this week have the 17 remaining bachelors dreaming of finding true love with Ali. Once at the mansion, they quickly learn that roses will be at stake on the one group date and two individual dates with Ali. However, the competition is revved up when they learn not all the men will get dates before the next rose ceremony, so the bachelors must take advantage of every opportunity to score points with the Bachelorette. But after careful deliberation, Ali must eliminate three men, as she tries to make her fairytale come true, on “The Bachelorette,” MONDAY, MAY 31 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali whisks away her first date – Frank -- in a classic blue convertible, but they’re sidetracked when they develop car trouble right in the middle of the LA freeway. Undeterred, the couple grab a cab and head to famed Hollywood Boulevard, where they’re swarmed by fans and paparazzi. Frank can’t help but feel special as he poses with America’s sweetheart, who is handling all the attention with style and grace. Then it’s off to the iconic Hollywood sign, where Ali surprises Frank with a front row seat. With the legendary sign as a backdrop, they share a little about themselves – and the season’s first kiss. But it doesn’t stop there, as romance is in the air and, after retrieving their repaired convertible, they visit an old-fashioned make-out point that overlooks the twinkling city lights.

Meanwhile, back at the mansion, tensions are already running high, as Craig M. and Jesse have to be separated before they come to blows. The next day 12 sexy guys meet Ali at a beautiful Malibu beach house where they will strike a pose for a charity calendar photo shoot. A few unlucky bachelors find their wardrobe leaves little to the imagination; however the guys do their best to impress the Bachelorette, none more so than Ty, who steals the show when he takes time to serenade Ali. Later Jonathan shares the drama in the house, going so far as to call one man “dangerous.” With a rose at stake, each guy fights for the time with Ali to tell her he is there only for her.

Next up is Jesse, who is wowed when he meets Ali at a private jet to fly off to Las Vegas. They zip through the streets until they arrive at a chic hotel, where they have the place all to themselves. Ali invites Jesse to an extravagant dinner and a private concert by one of her favorites, English jazz-pop singer Jamie Cullum. Although the date oozes with romance, can Jesse show Ali he’s more than a pretty face, or will he be sent packing?

At a pressure-packed cocktail party, the drama escalates. One man, who already was on one of the dates, interrupts another bachelor’s time – and can’t control his urge to kiss Ali in front of all the other envious men. The man labeled as “dangerous” confronts the others in an attempt to out the backstabber.

I call episode two “Cloudy With a Chance of Drama.” We’ll get to the awkward battle between Craig M and the “Weatherman” in just a bit. First, I want to answer some of your questions from the comments section, plus tell you a few things about last week. Some of you probably saw Ali and I attended the finale of Dancing With The Stars. It was interesting for me as Jake, Vienna, Ali, and Melissa Rycroft were all there. I posted a pic on Twitter of Jake, Vienna, Ali and me, and somebody mentioned it must have been awkward. It really wasn’t. Ali clearly sees she wasn’t meant to be with Jake, and she and Vienna talked and got along just fine. I don’t think they’ll be sitting around doing each other’s hair any time soon but the battle is over, they are both past it. One of you asked where I am when the limos arrive and how all that works. I’m usually out there with the Bachelor/Bachelorette the entire time. I stand just outside the lights (so I can’t be seen) with some producers, our stylist and some others, and we judge each person just like you do at home. We have five different limos with five guys each inside. We’ve done this so long we’ve actually gotten pretty quick at it. We usually get everybody in the house in about an hour. Some of you noticed Ali kept rubbing her arms and wondered why. Ali and I talked about that at DWTS last week. She had noticed it too, and it drove her crazy. It was actually very cold that night and just like everyone else is on the first night, she was a little nervous.

You didn’t get to see this, but I moved the guys into the house before I talked to them about their dates at the beginning of episode two. This is actually one of my favorite times because I get to really see and meet everybody for the first time. Frank got the first one-on-one date, something that seemed simple enough, but it really stirred up some jealousy in the house. Ali and Frank’s experience started out with a cruise down the 101 Highway in a cool old car. The operative word here is old! As you saw, the car broke down on the highway. Our first thought was cut the cameras, get the car fixed, and resume the date. Ali and Frank had other plans. They said to hell with it and started walking down the highway (not a good idea) until they found an exit. They hailed a cab and continued the date on their own, leaving producers to deal with the busted-up old car. The stop at the Hollywood sign was so simple but in my opinion one of the coolest things we’ve done on this show. It’s such an iconic place we’ve all seen on TV and in the movies for decades. So, to actually be sitting right there under the sign was pretty awesome. Frank is a guy Ali pegged on night one as somebody who will go a long way in this journey. After this date, the connection between them is only stronger, and unless he self-destructs, he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.

The second date was a huge group date with 12 guys. Before I get into why this was a special group date and discuss the calendar we’ll be selling for charity, we’ve got to discuss poor Jonathan (AKA “the weatherman”) and the banana hammock he was given to wear for the calendar shoot. He was a bit whiny and complained a little too much, but I have to say… what guy wouldn’t? No guy — and I mean no guy — should wear a bikini bottom. Sorry ladies, I don’t care how hot you think some guy is, he will never look better in that little slingshot. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Jonathan also had to deal with Craig M. Wait, not yet. We’ll dive into that in just a sec… Was it just me, or was Ali’s time with Justin that night just a little awkward? It seemed like Ali was definitely feeling it, but I didn’t get the impression that Justin (“Rated R”) was really into it. Ty got the rose on this group date. Don’t give Ty too hard of a time for being that guy playing his guitar on the beach for his girlfriend. He’s a good person who means well, but I am banning all guitars from now on. So if you’re keeping track this season — we’ve got bans on guitars, and having multiple contestants named Chris.

Now let me explain why Ali took 12 guys out on the largest group date in Bachelorette history. It was all for a good cause! Celebrity photographer Michael Grecco took pics that will be featured in a calendar we’re selling for charity as part of the “Bachelor Gives Back” program. To learn more about the charities the calendar will benefit, and how to get your own calendar, go to the Bachelorette page at ABC.com.

I want to briefly talk about Jesse and Ali’s insane date to Vegas. It seemed like they had a good time but it also felt like Ali was trying to convince herself the entire time that she was into him. When you describe a guy as solid or genuine, that doesn’t exactly scream love and romance to me, but we’ll see.

Okay you’ve waited long enough; let’s talk about Craig M. Yes, he’s that guy in every John Hughes movie (look them up, kids) that stirs the pot. He’s the slick guy that drives the nice car, uses too much hair product and seems like he’s going to get the girl, but after a tough life lesson, he ends up empty handed. I have to admit I was sad to see Craig go so soon. He is such a character he’s almost too good to be true. It was probably for the best because one more night in that house and someone was going to knock him out. As tough of a time as Jonathan had with him, it was actually Jesse who almost kicked his butt. Craig made fun of Jesse’s tattoos, which happen to mean a lot to Jesse. Craig then stalked Jesse around the house and wouldn’t leave him alone. Jesse didn’t want to, but he was extremely close to dropping Craig like third-period French. Luckily for Craig, some of the other guys jumped in and calmed the situation down. Still, it was Jonathan who really got the brunt of Craig M. Craig singled Jonathan out and rode him all week, but it really came to a head when Craig went upstairs and put on Jonathan’s clothes and came back down and did a Weatherman impersonation that all the guys laughed at… all the guys except the Weatherman. He was pissed and told Craig to get the hell away from him. Tensions were higher than normal heading into the second rose ceremony. These guys realize early on that this isn’t going to be as easy as they thought.

Okay, that’s it for episode two. I’m looking forward to doing a little moonlighting for ABC this week. I’m very proud to be hosting the National Spelling Bee this Friday night (June 4) in Washington D.C. Before I sign off, I want to thank Jimmy Kimmel for having me on last week; I don’t think I’ll ever forget how to spell Fedotowsky! Oops, sorry Ali. As always, leave your lighthearted, fun, entertaining comments below. My apologies to Matt Damon for running out of room and not being able to mention him in this blog!

Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco and former contestant on The Bachelor is the newest star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she will be blogging for PEOPLE.com and sharing her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the upcoming season. “The real me — the good, bad and the ugly.” In today’s blog, After dismissing eight men last week, Fedotowsky talks about her dates with Frank, the guys in Speedos and more.

My first week of dates! They were so much fun but not at all what I expected. Why? Because dating 17 guys is really hard!

As you know, my first date was with Frank and I can honestly say that it was the most fun I’ve ever had on a first date in my whole life. As soon as Frank got into the car we clicked. He is so easy to talk to and super funny, which is exactly what I have been looking for. I knew he was a good match for me when we were both able to laugh about the fact that our car broke down in the middle of the highway. I could not believe that happened! I’m actually glad it did though because it’s such a fun story to tell. The only downside is that Frank never even tried to fix it! C’mon, Frank! At least try! Luckily the rest of the date went perfectly and by the end of the night, we had made a very strong connection.

Now onto the group date … which was very overwhelming. I’m so glad that we got the chance to do something for charity since giving back is really important to me. However, the photo shoot kept us super busy so it was hard to focus on getting to know the guys. And I still can’t believe the guys put on those Speedos!!! I swear I knew nothing about the outfits before we went on the date and I actually felt bad for the guys, but they were all such great sports. I’m sure they were thrilled once we all put on regular clothes and headed to H Wood in Hollywood. I was really glad that I was able to spend a lot of one-on-one time with the guys at the afterparty. Jonathan warned me about Craig M., but honestly, I already knew something was up with him. I was thankful that Jonathan had my back and let me know about it; otherwise, I would have just been speculating. I didn’t want to address Craig M. about it on the date, though, so I waited until the rose ceremony to confront him.

Before we get to the rose ceremony though, let’s talk Vegas! What an over-the-top date! As many of you know, I am not the most glamorous gal. Therefore I felt a little bit uncomfortable with the A-list service we received that day. You probably noticed that by the end of the night I had kicked off my heels and was running around barefoot. Where were my sneakers when I needed them?

The rose ceremony this week was completely different than last week. I finally felt like myself. I was able to relax and focus all of my attention on getting to know the guys. It was a good thing too because I needed to feel confident going into my conversation with Craig M. I feel bad that he was able to pinpoint Jonathan after I told him that someone called him dangerous. I didn’t realize that Craig would know whom I was talking about. At the end of the night, I felt confident in my decision to let Craig M, Tyler, and Chris H. go. It’s never easy, but I felt a sense of relief knowing that I was one step closer to hopefully finding the love of my life.

ALI TURNS UP THE HEAT WITH THE MOST DARING DATE OF THE SEASON, A FIERCE COMPETITION BREAKS OUT AMONG THE MEN STARRING IN THE BARENAKED LADIES’ NEW MUSIC VIDEO, AND ONE BACHELOR’S DEVIOUS SECRET IS REVEALED, ON ABC’S “THE BACHELORETTE”

“Episode 603” – Ali invites one man to take a leap of faith with her on a daredevil date, tightrope walking across two skyscrapers in downtown Los Angeles. Then nine men are treated to a private Barenaked Ladies concert only to find out that they’ll be the stars of the band’s new music video. One obsessed bachelor sneaks out on the rest of the men to claim some alone time with Ali. And a shy guy goes on an intimate barbeque with the Bachelorette, which ends in the hot tub. Can he handle a situation that the other men would die to be in? Finally, one man’s sly secret is revealed right before the tension-filled rose ceremony, but Ali will send some good guys home when she decides they’re just not right for her, on “The Bachelorette,” MONDAY, JUNE 7 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on ABC.

Ali swoops in and takes one unsuspecting bachelor – Roberto -- on a helicopter ride over Los Angeles to their one-on-one date. When the couple lands on top of one of the tall buildings, Ali reveals that they have dinner reservations. The problem is they are on the rooftop of an adjacent building. The only way to get to their romantic tryst is to transverse a 100-foot tightrope together. Will they both overcome their fears and take the first steps toward falling in love, or will Ali’s date fall from grace and be sent home without a rose?

Nine eager bachelors get an amazing surprise when Ali invites them to a private performance by chartbusters Barenaked Ladies. But the competition jumps to a whole new level when Ali reveals that the men will be acting in the music video for the band’s new single, “You Run Away.” The bachelors are each given an intimate scene to shoot with Ali. One lucky guy gets all steamy with the Bachelorette, while another breaks down when his screen kiss goes awry. But nothing compares to one man’s outrageous bedroom scene that ends with a passionate kiss – which is so hot, it sends one of Ali’s frontrunners into a jealous tailspin. At the roof-top after party, the fireworks continue for the same lucky bedroom bachelor, rocking the jealous one to his core.

The next day, Justin boldly makes a move to get more alone time with Ali. The fixated man slips out of the mansion without telling the other bachelors and treks to the Bachelorette’s house, where he surprises Ali and is rewarded with some romantic time alone with her.

Back at the mansion, Hunter, oblivious to Justin’s sneak attack, is left waiting patiently for his one-on-one date, which is a bit postponed because of Justin’s stealing Ali’s attention. Ali finally picks up Hunter and they head back to her place for an intimate barbeque. But the tone changes when the two slip into the hot tub to end the evening. Will this reserved man recover, or will he be sent home?

Finally at the rose ceremony, one man’s secret is revealed and the men turn on one another, leaving one bachelor in tears. Ali must narrow the field to 11 by evening’s end, and there are a few good men who will be disappointed.

I hope you enjoyed Monday night’s show, which I’ve entitled “The Long Limp Home.” There is much to discuss from this episode, but first I want to answer a question I got via Twitter that I’ve actually never been asked before. Someone wanted to know when I compose my weekly blogs for EW.com. The answer is I write them the week before the episode airs, and yes, they’re written by me and me alone. I do take notes along the way to keep the stories fresh in my mind, but I really need to see the finished product to know exactly what we’re going to see and hear. By the way, I would like to congratulate all of you for becoming members of the mile-high blog club. I’m writing this at 30,000 feet while flying out to D.C to host the National Spelling Bee. I’d like to take a quick moment to thank those that watched the Spelling Bee last Friday. I loved hosting it and was blown away by the brilliance and poise of those young kids. It gave me a little hope for the future and it also made me feel pretty dumb.

I want to interrupt this blog to give you a rather ironic real-life moment. I’m sitting here blogging, listening to my tunes, and who else but the Barenaked Ladies comes on. The song that came on was “Off the Hook,” not “You Runaway,” but come on, that’s pretty bizarre right? Some of you asked last week about a theme song…well you’ve got one now, “You Runaway” by the Barenaked Ladies.

Okay. Sorry, I’m getting ahead of myself (oxygen deprivation and airplane food will do that). Let’s begin with Ali’s first one-on-one date this week with Roberto. A couple of things jumped out at me. One, I don’t care how many times I see it, getting picked up in a helicopter is just cool. Having your first kiss 20 stories above L.A. is even cooler. But, I’m a little worried about something Ali said on an otherwise perfect date. In her interview, Ali wondered if she is pretty enough for Roberto. This is the insecurity I spoke of in week one coming out in her. When faced with something that’s too good to be true, Ali questions it instead of embracing it. In other words, at times she can be her own worst enemy and it’s something that will continue throughout the season.

As I mentioned earlier, we have our theme song this season. The Barenaked Ladies were fantastic. I was happy to see my man, Paul Danner, get more screen time. He was the big man running the video shoot. Speaking of the shoot, how unbelievably awkward was Jonathan? There are nerves, and then there’s that display. I’m no doctor, but after almost 17 years of marriage and 20 seasons of this show, I might as well be. As a self-proclaimed doctor of love, I know a couple things to be true: One, when you get a chance to kiss a beautiful woman, you take it. Secondly, there’s no crying in baseball or on video shoots. That last part is written down somewhere, or maybe I heard Jay-Z say it; either way it’s a fact. The only thing more awkward than Jonathan on the video shoot was him trying to get the kiss from Ali at the wrap party. Despite all this, he did survive the storm (weatherman pun) and received a rose this week. We’ll see if he can settle down and get back on his game. Two other things of note on this date that stood out to Ali were Chris L. opening up a bit about his mom, and Kirk opening up and taking control of the date and getting the rose.

I want to briefly talk about Hunter and his one-on-one date. Hunter is one of those good guys that comes on this show and just never really feels comfortable. Sometimes despite your best efforts, this atmosphere just gets the better of you, and that was the case for Hunter. He and Ali just didn’t have it, and he was out of his comfort zone.

Now let’s talk Justin and his long limp up to Ali’s house and the firestorm he stirred up in the house. Justin took it upon himself to find out where Ali lived and crutch his way up there. Just so you know, Ali’s house is only about a mile away but it’s straight up a canyon road through two tunnels. The guys did wonder where Justin was, but they just assumed he was upstairs asleep. Ali had no idea he was coming. As you saw, she was being interviewed about the guys before her one-on-one date with Hunter. Now here comes the big moral debate that I will pose to you this week: Was this a good, sincere move on Justin’s part? Ali loved it and was incredibly impressed. Isn’t that what’s important here? If you do have a problem with it, was it the act of hiking up there or the attitude he showed to the guys after?

I know this for sure; when Ali accidentally spilled the beans to the guys, the place went nuts. The guys already didn’t trust Justin but now they wanted to drag him out back and drown him in the pool. I find it incredibly ironic that Ali is now facing a situation that is almost identical to last season with her and Vienna. She has grown a lot from that experience and is using that experience to try to wade through this ordeal. As Vienna found out last season, being on the outs from everybody else in the house is very isolating and trying. I promise you this is far from over. This was a wild week but things are about to be kicked up a notch as we begin our journey around the world. Before I leave you this week, I want to wish a very special happy birthday to one of the most amazing women in my life — Happy 94th to Hermine Sallinger! I also want to be clear that despite what you saw in the closing credits, no mice were harmed in the filming of this show! Keep the comments coming, they’ve been great this season and you can always find me on twitter @chrisbharrison and on facebook. One last note, I highly recommend you read this blog while listening to “Levon” by Elton John. I just did and it really makes it pop.

Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco and former contestant on The Bachelor is now the star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she will share her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the current season. “The real me — the good, bad and the ugly.” After having the best first date ever and dismissing Craig “Dangerous” McKinnon last week, Ali blogs this week about her high-wire date, Justin’s long walk to her house, kissing in the hot tub and more:

I am a girl who loves adventure. Yes, walking a tightrope 20 stories in the air 100 feet between two buildings seems really scary, but honestly it wasn’t. It was fun! I think I owe that to Roberto. He and I actually salsa danced on the tightrope. We weren’t scared! We were just playing around and enjoying the experience. When we made it to the other side we watched the sunset and then danced while Roberto sang softly into my ear. It was incredibly romantic. Cuddling up with him after dinner felt very natural. For the first time in my life, listening to rap as a kid paid off! Mom, you always said that I didn’t learn anything from that music. I also learned how to say “trátame especial” when I listened to that song as a kid, and I have a feeling Roberto would do just that.

Flying over to the date you hear me say that I don’t want the pilot to go too close to the wires. The reason I was so scared of the wires is that a few days before I started filming the show, I actually had a dream that I was in a helicopter that crashed because it ran into a wire that the pilot didn’t see. I told my producer about this dream and we were both really freaked out because at that moment she told me that I would be taking a helicopter to the tightrope date. Helicopter + wire date = me not being so thrilled while flying that day. Eek! So glad it was just a dream and not a premonition!

The group date this week was a blast! There was a lot of kissing in my scenes which made things really awkward. During my scene with Kirk, I actually asked the guys to leave the room because I wanted to be respectful and not make them feel uncomfortable. I never would have kissed Kirk with all the guys watching. However, I guess some of the guys must have peaked at some point because they obviously saw something. But this was a scene and we were acting — the real kiss came later in the hot tub. Moving on! Don’t you just love the song?!?! After the shoot the Bare Naked Ladies gave me a copy of their new album which was the only CD I had with me on the trip (besides few songs on an iPod). I listened to it a lot throughout this whole adventure and now whenever I listen to it, it reminds me of my experience as the Bachelorette.

My date with Hunter was really difficult for me to figure out. I liked him and he seemed like a great guy but I didn’t feel like we really had any chemistry. When we were grilling things were easy. Who am I kidding? HE was grilling. I cannot cook/grill/bake at all. However, I did carry the lettuce like no one’s business. Ha ha. Besides our lighthearted dinner conversation, everything else seemed unnatural and a little bit awkward. I hated that I had to let Hunter go on this date, but I knew it wasn’t fair to either one of us if I had asked him to stay just because I thought he was a good guy. I will say that I think Hunter’s a catch and I hope he finds a great girl to play his ukulele to.

Meanwhile, I can’t believe all the things Justin was saying to the guys. I had no idea he was dropping hints about coming up to my house without actually telling the guys. Not so cool. I thought he would have just flat out told them that he came to visit me. In fact, I felt so bad when I let that slip to Roberto at the rose ceremony. I really didn’t want to make things harder on Justin, but it looks like he wasn’t being too nice to the guys so I don’t feel as bad anymore.

Separate from the drama at the rose ceremony there was also some fun! You heard Chris L. and I talk about how we like to play flip cup (yes, I still like to play a silly college game every once in awhile), but what you didn’t see is our actual game of flip cup. Chris said he was good so I challenged him right on the spot. Wonder who won? Yup, I did. Sorry to call you out, Chris, but I just had to. Better luck next time. Ha ha.

What a crazy week of dates. My relationships are starting to grow stronger and I am feeling really good at this point. I feel like I could find my husband here! I actually started a journal at the beginning of the show and the very first sentence reads, “This is the story of how I met my husband … ”

THE REMAINING 11 BACHELORS WILL TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD TO PURSUE ALI,WITH THE FIRST STOP BEING NEW YORK CITY, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELOR"

Ali Enjoys a Glamorous InStyle Photo Shoot

Seven Men Sing and Dance Their Hearts Out in a Hilarious Audition to Win the Chance to Perform with Ali in the Tony Award-Winning Musical "The Lion King"

Kasey Goes to Extreme Measures to Prove His Love to Ali

A Private Concert by Joshua Radin and the Harlem Boys Choir is Featured

"Episode 604" - The Big Apple rolls out the red carpet, as the remaining 11 men begin an exciting trip around the world to capture Ali's heart. The Bachelorette arrives in New York City before the men to participate in a fun, fabulous make-over and photo shoot for InStyle. Kasey and Ali share a special day in New York, beginning with a panoramic helicopter tour of the city and ending with a giddy late night date at the Museum of Natural History. Seven eager bachelors hit the bright lights of Broadway, as they audition on stage at the hit musical "The Lion King," to not only win alone time with Ali but to have the extraordinary opportunity to perform with her that night in the Tony Award-winning show. Then Ali, despite falling ill, and Chris L. still manage to have a romantic night topped off by a special performance by Bachelorette favorite singer-songwriter Joshua Radin and the Harlem Boys Choir. But Kasey slips out of the men's New York suite, mysteriously returning with a bandage on his wrist. What happened to him? All is revealed at the stressful rose ceremony where two men will need to leave, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 14 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali has a great time trading in her casual California style for sexy, date night outfits with the help of InStyle during her makeover and photo shoot. The looks will be featured in the magazine's July issue (on sale June 18). In the meanwhile, Kasey is tapped for a one-on-one date and vows to "guard and protect Ali's heart" and return with a rose. A sweeping helicopter tour over Manhattan takes the couple to Liberty Island, where they have a romantic sunset picnic. Then the Bachelorette takes Kasey for a night time exploration of the Museum of Natural History by flashlight, as they enjoy having the empty museum all to themselves. But when they settle down for some serious talk, will Ali be satisfied with Kasey's answers?

Then seven enthusiastic bachelors visit Broadway's long-running, landmark musical, "The Lion King." The show's producer, Thomas Schumacher, surprises the men when he tells them that they will audition on the stage for alone time with Ali. A good-natured, but intense competition ensues among the men, who attempt to sing and dance their way into Ali's heart. In the end, Ali selects one lucky bachelor, who also will be featured with her in that night's performance of "The Lion King" in front of a packed house.

The intense schedule is getting to Ali and, exhausted and emotionally drained, she is forced to cancel her elaborate plans for her individual date with Chris L. After he thoughtfully brings her flowers and chicken soup, Ali, feeling revived, takes Chris out for his favorite meal and then tops it off with a romantic rooftop performance by one of her favorite singer-songwriters, Joshua Radin, along with the famed Harlem Boys Choir.

Meanwhile Kasey is still reeling from Ali's intense questioning of him and sneaks away from the men's suite, only to return a few hours later with a bandaged wrist. What was he really up to?

The tension at the cocktail party is ratcheted up as an emotional Kasey reveals his secret that he hopes will prove his sincerity to Ali. Finally, nine men remain on this world wide journey for Ali's love. Next stop is Iceland.

I’ve entitled this week’s episode “Guard and Protect Your Heart.” This was easily the best and yes, most dramatic episode so far. Before we dive in let’s answer some of your questions from last week. I love that somebody mentioned that none of the guys have hair on their chest. This person went on to ask if this is natural. Obviously, the answer is no. Most of the guys trim, shave, or wax their chest hair. I took a very informal poll (I asked one woman) and discovered that if a guy has a great body, then this is preferred. Now I pose this question to you: Is the hairless look preferred by most women, or do you stand by the old adage “Real men have chest hair”? Leave your comments below, and we’ll continue this debate next week.

Another commenter asked where the guys go after they are let go. The short answer is they go home. Obviously, they spend the night wherever we are, but they go home shortly after being eliminated. I know all the talk today around the water cooler (does anybody really ever talk around an actual water cooler?) is about Kasey and his actions this week. I need a minute to gather my thoughts and try to digest all of what I just saw, so let’s start with the other dates and then we’ll build up to Kasey.

The producers and staff know I love them, but I want to once again give major props to all those who create and put these dates together. This particular episode was visually awesome to watch. The Lion King group date on Broadway was unlike any date I’ve seen on this show. It’s incredible that the folks at The Lion King and Minskoff Theater allowed us on their stage for the date, but to actually permit us to be a part of their show is mind-blowing.

The first thing that stood out to me on this date was Jesse. Holy crap dude, you’ve got some vocal chops. Where have those been all season? Jesse’s singing blew everyone away, but it was Roberto who pulled out the smooth move and stole the show, literally. One of the guys brought up a great point about Roberto and Ali. They have shared some crazy moments together. Walking across a tightrope in downtown LA, performing in The Lion King. Those are the types of moments that relationships are built on, and the guys know this, and it’s killing them.

Ali got really sick the night of the Lion King date. She fought it off as long as she could, but the travel and schedule finally caught up with her. She was completely wiped out and lost her voice. She was such a trouper for rallying to celebrate Chris’ birthday with him. What did I tell you from day one about Chris L? I told you that you would fall in love with him. Well, if you haven’t fallen for this guy yet, you’re watching the wrong show. He’s such a solid man. He has good values and puts his family above all else; that’s a quality to be admired, and something I strongly believe in as well.

Okay, I’ve taken a deep breath: Let’s talk about Kasey. I’ve seen it all on this show. Every guy has his own style and his own way of sharing his feelings and love for a woman. Who am I to judge whether it’s right or wrong? So while I won’t say Kasey’s style is wrong, I have to ask, what is up with the singing? Once, okay, I’ll give you that. But four, five times? I loved the look on Ali’s face. She was speechless. It was so incredibly awkward for her. But at the end of that date she just chalked it up to a nervous, sweet guy who was trying too hard. So let me get this straight — a woman tells you to slow down and just relax, show her who you really are, and you go get a tattoo? What the *@#%? Hard to believe, I’m sure, but I am not a tattoo guy. Never had one and never will. With that said, I do know that if you are a tattoo guy, you probably shouldn’t get a permanent tattoo as a token of your love for a girl who’s dating not only you, but 10 other guys, too. Let’s take this a step further and talk about the placement of the tattoo. Again, I’m no expert, but on your wrist? At least Kasey didn’t get it on the small of his back. He explained the tattoo as a shield to protect Ali’s heart with eleven diamonds representing each guy still on the show. I’m pretty positive if Ali had seen this tattoo she wouldn’t have given him a rose. But Frank inadvertently saved Kasey by keeping him from exposing his new artwork to Ali. This ended up costing Jesse and Weatherman another week on the road to love. Eventually, Kasey will show Ali his new tat and we’ll see how she reacts.

Speaking of the road to love, as you heard Ali say, next stop is the land of fire and ice. Thanks to the active volcano, this trip was heavy on the fire. This week’s episode was really good, but fasten your seatbelts: The season is really about to take off.

Before signing off, I’d like to add a quick note about our new show Bachelor Pad. I’d like to officially welcome my friend Melissa Rycroft into the family as she will be helping me out as my co-host for the new show. We’ve just started production, and I can tell you already it’s going to be fantastic and unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. The show will air on ABC on Monday nights beginning August 9, following Ali’s season of The Bachelorette. Keep your comments coming and a quick shout out to the Uncle Julio girls. See, I always keep my word!

Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco and former contestant on The Bachelor is now the star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she will share her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the current season. “The real me — the good, bad and the ugly.” Last week, she walked a tightrope with Roberto, had a controversial visitor and said goodbye to Hunter Wagner. This week, she brings the men to the Big Apple:

What would The Bachelorette be without a helicopter ride? And let me tell you, it was terrifying. It was really windy that day, so the flight was not smooth at all. I wasn’t thrilled that the helicopter kept suddenly dropping when we were flying over hundreds of buildings in New York City! So scary! Once we landed, I had such a hard time figuring out Kasey. The first time he sang to me, I actually tried to play it off and started making up silly raps to make it seem like we were just playing around. When he sang to me for a second time in the museum, it was just too much. Kasey does have a huge heart, and I knew that I wasn’t ready to let him go. Plus we had a lot of fun! How cool was it that we got to run around in a museum with no teachers to tell us not to? I’ve wanted to do that since grade school! Being silly and acting like a kid with Kasey was so much fun. And did you see all the dinosaurs? Some of you may know that I have a strange affinity for dinosaurs. I actually like them so much that I made up a dance just for them. It’s called the “Dino Dance.” I will upload a video of it to my Facebook Page once the show is over so all of you can see my favorite dance.

Speaking of my favorite things, let’s go ahead and add musicals to that list. I was absolutely thrilled that we got to be a part of The Lion King on Broadway. The guys were so brave to put it all out there and perform on stage in front of [producer] Thomas Schumacher and me. In the end, Roberto won the date hands down and the experience I shared with him during the live Broadway performance was indescribable. We were both shaking and taking in every moment of the experience. I could have done without the harness under my outfit, though. It was so uncomfortable and not the most flattering thing in the world. Heck, if Roberto was still attracted to me after seeing me in that outfit with a harness underneath, then I think we’re in good shape. Ha!

I was really under the weather once we got to the after party. All I wanted to do was go to bed, and I was so thankful when Kirk pulled me aside and offered to help me do just that. Once we got to my room, I passed out within five minutes. Thank you for taking care of me, Kirk! I don’t know what I would have done without you that night.

The next morning I was still really sick. I remember literally crawling to the bathroom in the morning because I had no strength. Despite how I was feeling, I didn’t want to give up my time with Chris. I had been looking forward to this date all week and I wasn’t about to let him down, especially on his birthday. When Chris got to my place, I had Dunkin Donuts coffee waiting for him since we had previously talked about how that was one of our favorites things about the east coast. Seriously, I don’t know how I live without it in California. Chris brought me chicken noodle soup when he came to my house, and we both determined that it really must have healing properties because I actually started to feel better. In retrospect, I actually think it was him that made me feel better.

Now let’s just touch on what I’m sure everyone is making fun of me for — my hair. Yes, I realize that my hair was all over the place during dinner, but I get a messy hair pass this time because I was sick. Although, I imagine you may continue to make fun of my messy hair throughout the rest of the season. I’ll be the first to admit, I do not know how to do my hair nor will I ever. Wait until you see what the weather in Iceland does to my hair in the next episode!

Back to what’s important … Chris. We got a lot closer when he opened up to me about his mom. What an amazing woman. Chris told me that she was a nurse and very loved within her community. I am sure she is looking down on her son and smiling today. She raised a wonderful man.

I cannot believe Joshua Radin performed for us! He is absolutely amazing. For the longest time I have dreamt that Joshua would perform at my wedding. It always seemed like an unattainable dream, but I cannot believe it basically came true! It wasn’t my wedding, but I will take a private concert with Joshua Radin any day.

This rose ceremony was really tough because I was physically drained from being sick. The liquid in my glass was cranberry juice. No champagne for me! I needed to get better!

Despite being sick, this was another week of amazing dates and dreams coming true. I am so thankful for this experience and the great guys who are joining me in this adventure.

BREATHTAKING ICELAND IS THE BACKDROP FOR SOME OF THE MOST DRAMATICACTION OF THE SEASON, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

Justin and Kasey's Dramatic Two-on-One Date Guarantees One Man a Ticket Home

"Episode 605" - Iceland plays host to Ali and the narrowing field of nine enthusiastic bachelors, who are traveling around the world in an attempt to be the last man standing with the Bachelorette. The winner of a poetry contest to woo Ali gets to spend the day exploring Reykjavik with her. This sincere bachelor shares some life-altering circumstances with her that changed his outlook on life. The dreaded two-on-one date pits Justin and Kasey -- two bachelors who loathe each other -- as they and Ali swoop down in a helicopter across the famed, active Eyjafallajokul Volcano that caused massive travel tremors around the world. Six other adventurous bachelors spend a jaw-dropping day in the Icelandic wilderness vying for Ali's attention, which culminates at the famed Blue Lagoon, a geothermal volcanic spa, where the group strips down and heads toward a steamy and passionate evening. The men anxiously eye one another as Ali gives out her remaining roses and they sense that this is make-or-break time, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 21 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

The individual date this week will go to the man who can best express his feelings - in words. Each of the men will channel their inner poet to write and recite their own love verses to Ali. With the two-on-one date looming, the stakes are raised and guys race off to work on their poetry and try to enlist the help of locals to include Icelandic vocabulary in their verse, which Chris Harrison has assured them might get them extra credit. Ali arrives to judge the poems and one funny man makes up his own Icelandic gibberish, while another nervous bachelor freezes up and can barely speak. In the end, Ali rewards one lucky bachelor with a date to explore Reykjavik. Later that night at dinner, the man explains that he has survived a debilitating illness that totally changed his perspective on life. He has totally opened up to Ali, but will that information give him a rose or send him home?

Six eager bachelors spend a day with Ali, first riding horses through majestic mountains, then rappelling down to a vast cave carved out of lava. But things really get hot that night when the group visits the Blue Lagoon. Ali and the men head down to the steamy water, where the Bachelorette puts one man on notice that he isn't paying enough attention to her, then shares a passionate kiss with another before handing out a rose to the one devoted bachelor who has been there for her all day.

The next day, Justin and Kasey face off against one another on the dramatic two-on-one date. There is no love lost between these two. Ali take them in a helicopter over the land of fire and ice, where they get a close-up view of the headline-making volcano, which has already started to erupt, before landing on a nearby glacier. Tensions explode as the guys both get to plead their case to stay to Ali. One guy plays it cool, the other reveals a secret that leaves him standing alone on a glacier without a rose.

An air of anxiety settles over the cocktail party as the men battle for the remaining roses. One insecure man makes sure Ali knows that he is there for her, while another bachelor gives her a much needed laugh. How will all of this affect whom she offers roses? There will be only seven men who will join her at the next world tour stop -- Istanbul, Turkey.

My computer has been in the shop since last Thursday and I pick it up tomorrow. I'm using my housemate's computer and her computer is even worse! Once I get mine hooked up and running, I'll post Chris and Ali's blogs for this week and the press release for next week's episode. Kasey and Chris N. were eliminated this week. I now know what happens at the final rose ceremony and some of you PM'd me wanting to know who the F4 were and if you want to know who Ali chooses at the end, PM me and I'll tell ya.....a teaser, it's a doozy!

ANCIENT AND ROMANTIC ISTANBUL HAS SURPRISES IN STORE FOR ALI, AS SHE DISCOVERS JUSTIN'S SHATTERING INDESCRETION, LEADING TO AN EXPLOSIVE CONFRONTATION, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 606" - Romantic adventures await the final seven bachelors when they arrive with Ali in Istanbul, Turkey. But first Chris Harrison shares a shocking revelation about Justin with Ali. His carefully guarded secret is out: He has a girlfriend at home. And Ali - hurt and angry -- won't let him get away with his deceitful behavior a minute longer. Meanwhile, the pressure is mounting with two men having one-on-one dates - both dates with the bachelors facing the possibility of not getting a rose and being sent home immediately. A steamy Turkish bathhouse, a day at an exotic bazaar and group date at a historic castle with a spirited olive oil wrestling competition helps Ali to recover from her face-off with Justin. The men's anxiety is reaching an all-time peak, but Ali is extremely confident about who should stay and who should go, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JUNE 28 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

As Ali prepares for one of her individual dates, Chris Harrison delivers a shocking blow. One of the women who became friendly with Ali on Jake Pavelka's edition of "The Bachelor" has brought to light something ugly about Justin. Her heart racing, Ali actually talks to Justin's sobbing girlfriend on the phone to learn the truth about a man who has repeatedly told her he was there for "the right reasons" and how much he respected women. Armed with this detailed, volatile information, Ali, offended and upset, takes matters into her own hands and has one of the most dramatic confrontations of the season with the Justin. The other men watch in fascination as the fireworks begin right in front of them.

Then, putting all the drama behind her, Ali meets her first handsome date in the heart of bustling Istanbul. They wander through town, appreciating the beautiful architecture, and then stop at a Turkish bathhouse. Inside things heat up and the couple share their first kiss. And while things are moving forward romantically, Ali still has questions about this bachelor's past. Will she get the answers she needs or will she send the man home?

Next, a group of the bachelors join Ali for a date at the famed Rumeli Fortress. After a picnic in the castle, Ali surprises the guys with a unique competition. They will participate in Turkey's national sport -- olive oil wrestling -- facing off with oiled up, muscle-bound titans. The winner will receive additional alone time with Ali later that night. The lucky man spends the evening with Ali on a romantic dinner cruise through the Bosphorus Strait. The couple embrace as fireworks explode in the distance. This guy is definitely falling for Ali.

Istanbul's legendary bazaar offers a magical background for Ali and the other fortunate bachelor with a one-on-one date. The two find themselves enchanted with their surroundings and one another. After a day of shopping, haggling and laughing together, the conversation turns serious. Ali feels very nervous about her strong feelings for this man. Will she be able to ignore her nerves and hand the bachelor a rose?

The night of the rose ceremony Ali stuns the guys by canceling the cocktail party. She already knows whom she wants to invite. One man leaves totally devastated. Ali, for her part, is content that she is getting closer to finding her soul mate. She shares a champagne toast with the five remaining men as she reveals that their next stop is Portugal.

I want to step back a couple weeks and clear up a funny controversy that was started when some of you — and Joel McHale on The Soup (big fan of that show, btw) — noticed Justin’s cast switched legs on his hike up to Ali’s house. Justin hurt his leg the day before we started shooting the show. It really was hurt and in reality, his cast didn’t switch legs. Our editors sometimes flip the video, which is essentially using the mirror image of a shot. The reason they do this from time to time is simple: It looks prettier. With this mirror image being used, it appeared Justin’s cast switched legs. As you’ll see next week, Justin might be manipulating many things, but he wasn’t faking his injury.

I said last week, this season really gets started with the episode you saw tonight. I had no idea what to expect from Reykjavik, Iceland. It’s actually a very cool (actually darn cold) country with a lot to offer. I loved that the producers gave the guys a mini-cam to carry along as we traveled. That extra video from the guys themselves is an interesting perspective you don’t usually get to see. I know the guys had fun shooting stuff as we traveled around.

The day I met the guys in the square in downtown Reykjavik, it was absolutely freezing. You may have noticed everybody was bundled up except me. I took my coat and gloves off because I didn’t think I would be outside that long – not a good call on my part. As it turned out, I was with the guys the entire time and had to listen to their poetry. It really is hard to believe that Kirk was basically the only guy who made the poem personal and approached Ali and touched her. By now we all know she likes that, but only a couple of them managed to do it. We never claim to be smart animals.

I’ve mentioned it before and you saw more of it on this date: Kirk has steadily moved up the list in Ali’s heart. Yes, the heart that Kasey is guarding and protecting… or was. Ali was really moved by the story of Kirk’s illness, and it explained a lot about him to her. Their date was simple, strolling the streets of Reykjavik. The main street in town is really charming, as I’m sure you could tell. There are a ton of great little cafes and restaurants and plenty of shops that makes it a terrific town to walk through. Every day, you would stumble on a new place you hadn’t noticed the day before. I love places like that.

There’s not a lot to say about the group date because it was with a bunch of guys Ali really likes, even Chris N., who was sent home later. The second stop on the date is a place called the Blue Lagoon. The guys and Ali were right – it really is one of the coolest things you’ll ever see or do.

The main drama this week was clearly centered around the two-on-one date with Kasey and Justin. Justin was really good at stirring up Kasey’s emotions and intimidating him before the big event. Kasey progressively looked more and more desperate and uncomfortable. By the time they went on their date, he seemed like he was already beaten. Ali’s face was fantastic when Kasey finally showed her his tattoo. She didn’t know how to respond to that. Who would? I think Ali summed it up best when she explained later in deliberation that she felt that Kasey fell in love with the idea of falling in love. His emotions clearly got the better of him.

A couple notes about the date with Justin and Kasey. Our crew built and carved out all of that ice-sculpted furniture into the cave. We left it all there for others to enjoy when they visit. Seeing as how it’s in the middle of a glacier, I doubt it will melt any time soon. It was so unbelievably cold and windy it was hard for the three of them to stand outside while Ali decided who to give the rose to. The shot of Kasey standing there on that glacier as Ali and Justin flew away was classic. It reminded me of Andy Baldwin’s season where Peyton was left standing on the deck of an aircraft carrier.

The rose ceremony was back at the Blue Lagoon. For the first time this year you got to see Ali and I in deliberation. We always film a deliberation, though you may not see it every episode simply because it may not make sense to use it or there might be other things more relevant to telling the whole story. This week it was important that you saw it because Ali said something that will shape the rest of this season. Before Iceland, Ali was scared she wouldn’t fall in love; after Iceland, she knew she was falling in love, but now she was scared she wouldn’t be loved back. This was a very emotional, candid deliberation. It’s times like these you really do forget about cameras and it’s just you and a friend in a room talking like you would be back home. Many of you asked last week who Chris N. was. Well, you got a chance to see him during this episode. Seriously, Chris N. is a really good guy. Yes, he’s quiet and probably not completely comfortable fighting to stand out in a group setting, but the guys and Ali really liked him.

Ali announced to the guys that our next stop was Istanbul. The truth is, some of the guys already knew that. Somebody (me) accidentally let it slip we were going to Turkey while we were back in New York. I wasn’t sure the guys picked up on it when I mentioned it, but they later teased me that I gave it away. Oops.

This week’s episode was a great one, but next week’s will blow you away. You saw pieces of the confrontation between Ali and another guy. That was just a taste of a situation you will all be talking about for weeks to come. With that said, I hope all of your hearts are guarded and protected! Please continue to leave your comments below or you can find me on facebook and twitter @chrisbharrison.

Ali Fedotowsky, the 25-year-old advertising account manager from San Francisco and former contestant on The Bachelor is the star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she blogs for PEOPLE.com and shares her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the current season. “The real me — the good, bad and the ugly.” In today’s blog, after spending time in New York City, Ali reveals just how cold it really was in Iceland, her thoughts on Justin, Kasey, Chris N. and more:

Well it may have been cold in Iceland, but it was more than worth it. I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Iceland really is a spectacular country and every day I saw something totally different than the day before. I’m usually not a cold-weather kind of girl but it was breathtaking there. And speaking of cold, Chris Harrison, what were you thinking wearing only a sweater?! It was FREEZING outside! I think I had seven layers on. The guys’ poems were great. I was super impressed with Craig‘s poem. He is such a funny guy! Kirk‘s poem was so sweet. Poor Chris N. tried so hard and looked super nervous, but at the end of the day this is about finding love.

Playing around in the sweater shop with Kirk was a blast. I love that I can be silly with him (I learned that his mother calls him Kirky — how cute!). It was actually his idea that we get matching outfits. Pure genius! We looked like such dorks; I loved it! Did you notice we shared the same mitten when we walked into the coffee shop? I felt bad that his hands were cold … and sharing is caring.

A cool part of traveling is the cultural experience. Getting to see the men play the Icelandic xylophone and listening to their rhymes was so unique to witness, especially on a date.

I’m really glad that Kirk opened up to me about his sickness. What a strong guy. He has been through a lot over the past few years and I am so grateful that he is here on this journey with me. What you didn’t see is that we actually went dancing after dinner at a little pub. I loved our day experiencing the local culture.

Now, time to see what kind of adventure Iceland has to offer. I’ve always wanted to ride a horse, so this date was really exciting. How funny was it that Chris L. kept falling off the horse? Ha! Thankfully, Ty saved the day! The guide who was with us was really scared for a minute because we rode the horse on top of the cave. The horses were so heavy that we could have fallen through at any minute! Luckily, that didn’t happen.

It is hard to tell when watching the episode but it was so cold outside and my gloves were not warm at all. I love that Chris gave me his. What a sweet guy. Since it was so cold, I am really glad that we got to head to the Blue Lagoon next. In case anyone is wondering, no, I was not wearing my bikini under the snowsuit the whole day. I would have frozen to death!

The 2-on-1 date can be described in one word — awkward. But heck, we got to see the volcano erupt. I am so grateful for the experience. We got so close that we could actually feel the heat coming off the volcano on our faces. It was unreal. One thing that I was disappointed to see while watching this episode is how Justin was acting. He was a different person with me then he was with the guys or in his interviews. Plus, he was awful to Kasey and I felt really bad for him. Kasey is a nice guy with a huge heart. Yes, he can be super cheesy at times, but honestly, I love that he put it all out there. In the end, I had to let him go because I wasn’t feeling the same things he was. The last thing I wanted was for Kasey to feel bad about who he is, particularly when the tattoo he got will be with him for the rest of his life. And yes, I’ve heard the rumors that the tattoo was fake. Don’t believe everything you read, because I can assure you it was as real as can be. Also, just so you all know, we didn’t leave Kasey on the glacier alone. He went back to town with the other camera crew. I actually checked in with my producer later that night to make sure he got home okay. I hope he is happy right now and hopefully in love with a great girl.

At the rose ceremony, I was so glad Frank pulled me aside right away. As I explained to Frank, I needed him to make more of an effort. I felt like I had been babying him lately and I needed him to step up and be a man. Nice work Frankie. And I must say that Craig‘s fake tattoo was HILARIOUS! Well done, Craig, well done.

Then there is Chris N. I know you all are all wondering who the heck he is. The guys in the house actually called him Phantom because he was always so quiet. Chris N. embraced the name! What you don’t know about Chris N. is that he is a very active philanthropist. On the very firshttp://tvwatch.people.com/2010/06/22/ali-fedotowsky-iceland/t night he told me the he donated skateboarding ramps to less fortunate children in my name. What a great guy. We will miss you, Phantom!

I can’t possibly write a blog this week without first talking about Jake and Vienna. Obviously I can confirm that they have broken up. I can also confirm for you that I sat down with both of them this week at the Bachelor house for an interview (slated to air as part of next week’s regular Bachelorette telecast). It was the first time the two of them had seen each other since they broke up. I’m not going to get into the “he said, she said” garbage that has fueled the tabloids over the last week. Both of them confirmed what I already knew and have been telling people for months: Their engagement was real and so was the love for each other when we all left St. Lucia six months ago. What happened to them and that love is a story you should and will hear from them. While I won’t get into the details of what exactly was said during this interview, I do want to be very clear about something: Yes, the atmosphere was emotionally charged, but contrary to reports that have surfaced about the interview, at no time was anyone ever physically in harm’s way, nor was anyone ever threatened with physical violence.

With that cleared up I want to get into what was easily the most “dramatic” episode thus far this season. I guess the best way to cover the implosion of “Rated R” is to tell you in detail exactly what happened. As we were leaving Iceland I learned that one of our former cast members, Jesse S in Canada, had proof that Justin had a girlfriend back home. I also found out that both Jesse S and Justin’s girlfriend back home wanted to call Ali and tell her all about it. Because we were traveling from Iceland to Istanbul, Turkey, and dealing with a major time-zone change, we had to wait till the next day to make the call to Justin’s girlfriend in Canada and thus let Ali in on what was going on. Ali had absolutely no clue when I arrived at her hotel room that morning and made the call to Justin’s girlfriend. I was very happy that you got to see and hear everything that was said by Justin’s girlfriend and Ali.

I was very impressed with Ali on that phone call. The first thing she said was how sorry she felt for his girlfriend, and all she cared about at the time was how she was doing. Very classy. When she hung up the phone, Ali was understandably pissed off and wanted Justin gone immediately. We walked straight up to the guys’ suite to confront Justin. Again, I really appreciated the fact that Ali wanted to do this herself and see him face-to-face. When we walked into the guys’ room, they immediately knew something was up, they just didn’t know what. Ali and I never show up together at the guys’ room like that, so they were anxiously waiting for something. That’s when Ali stunned all of us by going directly at Justin the way she did. Then every guy’s jaw dropped on the floor when Justin tucked his tail and ran for the door, and Ali stood up and questioned his manhood. I talked to the guys later and every one of them said they never thought Ali was hotter than that moment where she called Justin on his B.S.

“Rated R” obviously knew he was beat, so he made the bizarre decision to grab his passport and make a run for it… in Istanbul? I’m not exactly sure where he thought he was going to go or how he was going to get there, but Justin made a sad limp for it down the hall. I chased after him to try to stall until Ali could catch up and finish what she had started. Justin walked into stairwell and that’s where things really got interesting, as we briefly lost “Rated R.” Ali and the camera crews thought he’d gone all the way down the stairs but he’d actually exited on the next floor. So for several minutes we had no idea where Justin was. We eventually found him downstairs trying to get out of the hotel without having to face Ali. I have to admit watching Justin limp through bushes and up waterfalls in an attempt to keep from having to face Ali was classic and really sums up his character. He finally did come back to talk to Ali and she let him have it. I realize there have been incidents in the past where you may not be 100 percent sure who’s telling the truth, and this might have been another one of those cases. Justin swore up and down to all of us that he didn’t have a girlfriend and didn’t at any time contact that girlfriend while he was on the road. Hearing “Rated R’s” greatest hits (phone messages) as he limped off into the sunset was the smoking gun. That’s all anyone could possibly need to hear as proof.

I’m sure some of you are wondering how Justin could have made a call if we take the guys’ cell phones away. Well Justin would go into the bathroom in the guys’ suite and use the phone by the toilet. He then tried to cover his tracks by calling the front desk and asking them to take the calls and numbers off the room’s bill so we wouldn’t see it. Probably my favorite thing about this entire thing is that “Rated R” thought he was smarter than everybody else and was so smug as he assumed he was getting one over on everybody. When Ali pulled the rug out from under him and confronted him about all his lies, he stammered and stuttered his way through a pathetic series of explanations.

I’ve already taken up a lot of time and space here so let me throw out a few more thoughts about this episode before I wrap up. Ty and Ali had an amazing one-on-one date at the Turkish bath, and their relationship has really taken off. The group date — olive-oil wrestling — really freaked the guys out. I went up and saw them the next morning and they were seriously beat up. Those pros really did kick their butts and they were sore. Ali and Frank’s relationship is interesting. When they’re apart, it seems to take two steps backward, but when they’re together, the chemistry is undeniable and they quickly take 10 steps forward. Right now, they’re moving forward, and Ali’s worried about that. Ali really liked Craig, we all did, and that’s why she didn’t want to host a cocktail party that night before the rose ceremony. She respected him enough to not want to make him fight for something that just wasn’t there.

There are five men left, and we’re now off to Lisbon, Portugal. The tease after the show was extremely revealing. You can see that the drama with these guys is far from over. One of Ali’s toughest moments will come in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Ali Fedotowsky, a former contestant on The Bachelor, is now the star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she’s sharing her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” Fedotowsky says of the current season. After saying goodbye to Jonathan and Kasey last week, Ali writes about Justin‘s secret, her Turkish dates with Ty and Frank and saying goodbye to another good guy:

So let’s address the big pink elephant in the room and get it out of the way — Justin.

First off, when Jessica called me, the first thing I said to her was “Are you okay?” I felt so bad for her. I had only known Justin for a matter of weeks; he had betrayed her for years. No woman should ever let a man treat her with disrespect the way Justin did. The reason I didn’t look super upset during the phone call is because I was not going to let him hurt me. I wouldn’t give Justin the satisfaction of thinking he could affect me. I wanted to be strong — for me, for Jessica, and for all the women and girls watching who have been betrayed by a man before.

When I told Justin that he would regret this, I didn’t mean his lack of relationship with me. I meant that he would want a chance to explain himself — not only to me but also to all of you watching. As you all saw, he didn’t do such a great job explaining himself. I guess that is what happens when you’re caught in a lie. That’s all I really have to say about that.

Let’s move on! How cute were the little wooden sandals Ty and I wore on our date? He actually made a joke, saying that the way we walk in the shoes is how we will walk when we are an 80-year-old couple. At dinner, learning more about Ty’s marriage was important. I had gotten the sense that Ty was expecting to have a very traditional marriage, where the mother stays home and the father works, and I don’t want that. I imagine a lot of the women cringed when they heard Ty make the comment about women being presidents of companies. Ha ha. Trust me, I cringed too. But at the end of the date, I realized that it was an innocent comment by Ty even though it came out in a funny way. He would want nothing more than to treat a woman right.

Now let’s talk about the weird things that came out of my mouth! What was the 98 percent comment about? I re-watched that five times and I still don’t understand what I was trying to say. I think I was trying to say that the majority of the men I know that don’t have successful relationships couldn’t express their feelings the way Ty did. Dancing with him at the end of the night was so much fun. The musicians played some up-tempo music, and let me tell you, that boy can shake his hips!

If any of you want to have a heart attack with your man, take him to olive oil wrestle in Turkey. Oh my goodness! I was so scared that the guys were going to get hurt. When we originally planned the date, we were going to have each professional wrestler wrestle two bachelors at a time. However, the guys got so pumped up once they saw the wrestlers that we decided to let them go one on one. The guys were pretty beat up at the end of the date so I sent a masseuse to the hotel to give the guys massages. I hope she took good care of them.

My date with Frank was so much fun. He was the perfect person to explore the bazaar with since he has such a great sense of humor. He was like a kid in a candy store because of all the interesting things we saw that he could comment on. My favorite thing was the Turkish Delight. Yummy!

The second part of our date took place at the Basilica Cistern. It was honestly the most magical place I have ever been in my life. I could barely breath when we walked in because it was so beautiful. Frank reminds me a lot of my friends back in San Francisco, so I feel very comfortable with him. In the same breath he also scares me. I feel vulnerable with him, and his lack of confidence in our relationship is scary. Frank said I swooped in and rescued him at the right time, but am I ready to rescue anyone?

Also, I realize that the theme of my season so far has been about whether or not I feel like the man I fall for will love me back. Is this true? Yes, absolutely. But this doesn’t come from a place of weakness; it comes from being realistic about the situation I am in. Is it realistic to think that every single guy who came on the show would fall in love with me? No, it’s not. And I was shown just that at the beginning of this episode.

It didn’t feel good letting Craig go at the end of the night because I liked him so much. He is funny, smart and interesting. I am almost smiling when I say goodbye to Craig because I know in my heart that we will end up being good friends after this. Looking forward to seeing him at The Men Tell All.

ALI TAKES THE FINAL FIVE MEN ON A SPECTACULAR TRIP TO PORTUGALAS THE CRUCIAL HOMETOWN DATES LOOM... AND FIND OUT THE DRAMATIC,REAL STORY BEHIND JAKE PAVELKA AND VIENNA GIRARDI'S BREAK-UP IN ANEXCLUSIVE FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE COUPLE, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 607" - The pressure mounts as Ali must decide which four men will have the opportunity to take her home to meet their families. Lisbon, Portugal is the romantic and vibrant city where Ali will make her most important decision yet. Filled with anxiety at the beginning of the week, she still has serious questions about some of the men. Will she be ready to let one man go forever, and will she make the right choice for her? And in a highly anticipated interview, Jake and Vienna, whose recent break-up made headlines in media across the country, face each other for the first time in an emotional and dramatic dialogue with host Chris Harrison, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JULY 5 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

During Jake and Vienna's gripping interview, they acknowledge that the love they felt was real, but that their relationship is beyond repair. However a nasty game of he-said, she-said lies ahead. They are not above trading insults: Vienna calls Jake "a liar" and "a fame whore." Jake feels Vienna always undermines him and tears him down. They face off about who broke up with whom. Vienna defends herself against allegations of infidelity. Jake accuses her of selling him out for money. Emotions run high and, after a particularly intense verbal confrontation, Vienna bursts into tears and storms out, ending the interview.

The guys arrive in Lisbon, and Ali's first individual date is with Roberto. They explore Lisbon by tram and playfully take photos of their adventure. Their day ends with a picnic at the sixth century Castle of S‹o Jorge. But, will Ali forget how she felt about him by the time she gets to the next rose ceremony?

Frank and Ty take a two-on-one date with Ali, trying to make the best of an awkward situation and still have some fun. The Bachelorette whisks the two men away in a helicopter to tour the countryside before landing next to the medieval fortress of Obidos. This is a tough situation for Ali as well, and her date with the two men proves to be more difficult than anticipated. Ali has alone time with each bachelor and addresses some crucial issues she has with each. Will their answers end up being deal breakers for her?

Kirk is treated to a fairytale adventure as he and Ali take a romantic carriage ride to the spectacular Pena Castle. As they take in the postcard sunset, Ali becomes anxious as she thinks about the upcoming hometown dates. That night over dinner, she learns Kirk has never had a long-term relationship and begins to question if he's ready for marriage. The night ends with the soulful sounds of traditional Portuguese Fado music with singer Maria Jo‹o Quadros.

One final date goes to Chris L. They take a scooter ride through the countryside and stop off for a picnic with a breathtaking view of the coastline. Chris' relationship with Ali has moved slowly, but things pick up as this bachelor gives her a very personal gift and tells her how much a hometown date would mean to him.

The week has flown by and, while she once viewed the impending hometown dates with trepidation, Ali is ready to make her decision. She lets go a very disappointed man, who is shocked and heartbroken. Now it's time to return to the States with the four remaining men, who are ecstatic to have the chance to introduce her to their families.

Before we get into this week’s Bachelorette, I want to throw out a few final thoughts on Jake and Vienna. I don’t want to recap the entire ordeal, as I feel the interview really spoke for itself. I’m satisfied that you got to see and hear everything. Now that you have seen and heard for yourselves how this interview really went, you realize most if not all the tabloid reports that came out last week were just a little more than off the mark. Obviously there never was any threat of physical violence at any point during this interview. Let me be very clear with you that I would never tolerate any violence on this show — much less violence toward a woman. The bizarre atmosphere that surrounds this show now really astounds me.

Many of you wrote in, long before you had ever seen a frame of this interview, and complained that it was slanted in favor of Jake. Now that it has aired, I’d be interested to hear if you still feel that way. From my perspective, the interview was very fair to both parties and wasn’t very flattering for anybody involved. You have to understand that I come into this with a little different perspective. I know Jake and Vienna, and however hard it is for some folks to believe, these two had strong feelings for each other when we left St. Lucia. My true hope in conducting this interview, however naïve it seems now, was not to solve or fix this relationship, but to find a bit of closure and stop the nasty back-and-forth that will only flame the tabloid stories and crazy Internet reports. Obviously, that’s not what happened, and I apologize to Jake and Vienna for that. Maybe it was just too soon to have that intimate a conversation. It is my sincere hope that Vienna and Jake will find it in their hearts to bury the hatchet and move on peacefully with their lives, wherever that may take them.

It’s a little difficult to make the transition back to the here and now, but this was an important week for Ali and the guys. We landed in Lisbon, Portugal, with five solid guys, which is a good thing, but it also made it very hard for Ali this week. I started off by talking to the guys in one of the many beautiful town squares in Lisbon. We don’t close down these places when we shoot these scenes, and I love that. It’s priceless to see the people’s faces as these five guys walk across traffic and the square and come up to me with all the cameras around.

Ali’s first date this week was with Roberto. I was very happy to see her relationship with him take a serious step forward. If you noticed, Ali is no longer the giggly little schoolgirl she used to be around Roberto. She’s now able to compose herself and dig a little deeper to find out what this guy is made of. The good news for Ali is the deeper she digs, the more she likes.

On a much different note, the two-on-one date this week with Frank and Ty was just flat-out awkward. These dates are always tough, but at this point in the journey, when Ali cares deeply about both guys, Frank said it best: “The two-on-one sucks.” Ty seemed to settle all of his issues with Ali on this date. I’ll give you my thoughts later on why he left. Frank took this moment to tell Ali he lives with his parents. This brings up an interesting question for you ladies: Is living at home with your parents at this point in your life a deal breaker? Or do circumstances dictate how you feel about it? Ali obviously took into consideration Frank’s circumstances and didn’t mind. Yet once again, Ali throws out a random concern about Frank, saying he’s everything she’s ever wanted, but also everything she fears.

By the time Ali got to her date with Kirk she was overwhelmed. I think four straight weeks of travel, the enormity of the decision this week, and the fact that there’s really not much separating these five remaining guys finally got to her. It really affected her date with Kirk in the beginning, but being the guy he is, he turned it around. I think a lesser man would have taken it all personally and just shut down, but Kirk rallied and they had a great night. Kirk’s speech at dinner really brought it home for him, literally. The guy always says and does the right thing. Sometimes when a guy does that, it’s cheesy or insincere, but not with Kirk, and Ali loves that about him.

At this point in the show, I find Ali and Chris L’s relationship the most intriguing. Ali told me on several occasions her typical relationships start slow as friendships, and then blossom from there. This is exactly what’s happening with Chris and Ali. On their date this week Chris definitely moved out of the “friend” zone. Ali kept saying she’s glad his walls have come down. I think that trivializes him a little bit. Having gone through what he has over the last year, I really respect that fact that Chris wasn’t an open book from day one. He waited until he saw potential in this relationship and a future with Ali before really opening up to her.

As for who went home this week, it was really tough to see Ty go. At this point, Ali’s really splitting hairs trying to come up with a reason to send any of these final five guys home. In the end, Ali and Ty had a good connection but compared to the other guys it just wasn’t enough. I also think they just had different perspectives on life. After this week’s episode, I don’t think I have to tell you to leave your comments below. Have at it people, let it all out. I hope you all had a wonderful, safe Fourth of July. But I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the fireworks this summer.

Ali Fedotowsky, a former contestant on The Bachelor, is now the star of The Bachelorette. Each week, she’s sharing her thoughts about the episode that aired the night before. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” she says of her season. After saying goodbye to Craig and catching Justin in a lie, Ali writes in about her dates in Portugal and picking the men whose families she’s going to meet:

I want to start off by saying that I absolutely found love this season. That’s right, I fell in love with Lisbon, Portugal! This city is so much like San Francisco. There is a bridge that crosses the bay that looks exactly like the Golden Gate Bridge. The city is on hills with cable cars taking tourists from one place to another. I felt so at home here. But you’ll have to stay tuned to see if find love a second time!

My date with Roberto was absolutely perfect. We had so much fun taking pictures and being silly. I am a big fan of jumping pics. I was a pro and got Roberto’s jumping pic in one shot but he had a little bit more difficulty. We also shopped around town for the food we brought in the picnic basket to the castle. Roberto really took charge at the shops. Spanish is very close to Portuguese and he was able to speak Spanish with many of the people in town. I loved that he could take care of us. He is so romantic. Dancing in the street was like a fairytale. Honestly, I found myself wondering how Roberto could be so amazing. I have never dated a guy who treated me like Roberto treats me.

During my two-on-one date, I wanted to grab Frank’s hand in the helicopter but I couldn’t because Ty was there. I knew at that moment that my connection with Frank was much stronger than my connection with Ty. Before we went to dinner we danced with medieval dancers. Ty picked up the dance quickly, but Frank was a mess. I hope ABC puts out the deleted scene so you can all see it. Dinner was so awkward. A two-on-one date at this point in our journey is just too much. Frank made it easier by making jokes to lighten the mood. When Frank told me about living at home with his parents, I didn’t mind at all. When you care for someone those trivial things don’t matter.

My date card with Kirk read “once upon a time” for two reasons. First, we had a fairytale date, and second because Kirk often told stories to me that started with “once upon a time,” (this started the night I was sick in New York) so I thought it was perfect. The reason I told Kirk that I thought he wouldn’t think I was good enough in a year is because he told me a lot about his last relationship and why they didn’t work out. The theme of these breakups seemed to be that Kirk couldn’t commit to the girl long term. Yes, he seems really into me as the Bachelorette, but will he still be as interested when I’m just me five years from now? Kirk and I talked a lot about this that night. In fact, Kirk and I are really good at talking about emotions and other serious stuff. I have never been able to have such serious conversation with someone so early in the relationship. Speaking of emotion — the fado music at the end of the night was unbelievably moving and one of the most inspiring moments of my journey.

After my fairytale date, I wanted to have some fun with Chris. I thought he was going to kill me on that scooter! Plus, he was going so slow! I am a gal with a need for speed, which is why I had to take control. I wanted to play on the scooter for a little before we went to the winery. We obviously didn’t drive home. Living in Northern California for the past five years has turned me into quite the wino, so I really loved tasting all the Portuguese wine. I’m really glad that Chris gave me the Dennis bracelet. Now I have a “get out of jail free” pass when I go to visit his family. If they ask a question that is too hard I will just flash the bracelet and get a pass. Actually, from what I know about Chris’s family so far, I don’t think I’ll be needing that pass. I just know they are going to be great!

The rose ceremony was very important because I meet families next week. I honestly wasn’t so sure that I was ready to meet the families of the four guys I chose at the end of this episode. I remember getting really emotional because I didn’t feel ready with everyone. At the end of the day, I knew that Ty and I couldn’t last in the long run. Even though we have a lot of similarities, we have too many differences. The paper I had in my hand when I was walking back in after saying goodbye to Ty was the lyrics to the second half of the song he sang to me back at the first group date on the beach in Malibu (the photoshoot). It such a sweet song and I am sending lots of good thoughts Ty’s way so he does find a great girl to sing this completed song to.

Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi took their he-said-she-said circus to the air on Monday night in a previously recorded interview about their relationship. Among the heated subjects they tackled were Vienna selling her story to a tabloid, the emotional abuse she says he inflicted, and the constant undermining Jake says he endured.

Trading bitter insults throughout their talk with Chris Harrison, the exes battled it out in a verbal boxing match that proved no winner — and pulled no punches. Here’s a recap of how it all went down:

Round 1: How it all fell apart

Jake: “The relationship was going downhill but I wasn’t ready to quit fighting.”

Vienna: “The first month together was great. He was crazy about me. From there it went straight downhill. It felt like a relationship when cameras were rolling or we were out on a red carpet, but when we were at home [it was] lonely. I just wanted him to be around me and talk to me and kiss me like a normal relationship.”

Round 2: The tabloid interview

Vienna: “Either way, our relationship had been public. The world was going to want to know what happened . . . I hadn’t had a voice this entire time.”

Jake: “I’m so mad at you. I’m disgusted with you.”

Vienna: “You are a fame whore is what you are.”

Round 3: Their life after The Bachelor

Vienna: “My impression was that you were a pilot and we were going to go back to Florida and Dallas and live a normal life. Instead, we’re in L.A. and you’re pursuing a career in acting.”

Jake: “At least I was pursuing a career in something.”

Round 4: Jake’s turn on Dancing with the Stars

Vienna: “He never acknowledged me. We were never together, ever, throughout the whole thing. I was excited to spend time with him [on the show].”

ALI RETURNS TO THE U.S. TO JOIN THE FOUR REMAINING BACHELORS IN THEIR HOMETOWNS AND FINDS HERSELF ON THE HOT SEAT WITH SOME OF THE FAMILIES ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 608" - The stakes are high as Ali returns to the U.S. from her exciting world tour for an emotionally charged journey across the country to visit Roberto, Chris L., Kirk and Frank in their hometowns. Her bonds are growing stronger with these men, but she is severely tested by some of the families. Just how ready are these bachelors for marriage? Ali is about to find out from the people who know them best, and in a heartbreaking turn, she must send one man home, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JULY 12 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali's first stop is Tampa, Roberto's hometown. He's the man who swept her off her feet the first night with a sexy salsa and hasn't let her down since. They meet on the campus of his alma mater, University of Tampa, and he takes her to his "field of dreams," where he was a star member of the baseball team. The couple enjoy an idyllic day of baseball and romance, but Ali is very nervous about meeting Roberto's father, a tough former Army Ranger. They go to his family home for dinner and Ali is greeted warmly, but the bachelor's father, who is extremely proud of his son, has some tough questions for Ali. She does her best in an honest heart-to-heart with his parents to assure them she would be a loving, supportive wife. But will that be enough to convince them to give their blessing?

Now it is on to Cape Cod, where Ali visits fellow Massachusetts native Chris L. His relationship with her has been slow, but steady. As they walk on the beach, they feel at ease, and she begins to see a new side of him that intrigues her. At Chris' home, they share a tender moment as he shows her photos of his mother who recently passed away. Ali feels right at home with his family - as if she has lived there for years - and she is touched by some profound advice about life and love that Chris' father shares with her. However, there is some concern by the family that this vulnerable suitor may get his heart broken. Despite this, their romance seems to be blossoming and love is in the air.

Ali ventures to Green Bay to visit Kirk's family. His lack of serious past relationships has her worried. Since his parents are divorced, Ali will meet them separately. She is somewhat alarmed by his father's taxidermy workshop, but finds herself impressed with his supportive love for his son. Kirk's mother tells Ali the story of her son's long and difficult battle with an illness that nearly killed him. But is he ready to move on with his life - and is he ready to share it with the Bachelorette?

Finally, Ali lands in Chicago, Frank's hometown. The day starts out romantic and upbeat as they take a romantic boat tour, but Ali senses that he is anxious. Frank admits he is confused. When she meets his family, they assure her that his high stress level is the result of his strong feelings for her. Both Ali and Frank feel more positive and excited about the future.

Ali's feelings for all four men have deepened after sharing so much with their families. And so, when she returns to Los Angeles for the rose ceremony, she needs to fight back tears as she hands out only three roses to those men who will accompany her to Tahiti.

I'm not a Roberto fan. Yeah he's a nice guy & good looking but I don't really picture him in the future with Ali. I like Chris L., it's a shame she let Ty go b/c I like Ty. I'm not sure about Frank there's something about him that isn't right when I saw the clip of him meeting Ali at the beach with a funny look on his face. What I love about the most is Jake and Vienna's appearance on one of the episodes after their break up, gets into a big argument on the show, : then Vienna storms off crying. :swine All I can say is Ali be carefull who you pick @ the end or you will end up like Jake. Unless of course there's still a chance between you & Jake now that Vienna's gone.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again this season: I love the hometown visits. They are so revealing and such a good indication of who these people truly are. With that said, I can’t remember a season when the final four people stacked up like this. In my opinion, Ali narrowed it down to four great guys who all could probably make her happy in different ways. Usually at this point, there’s one person or family that makes this decision a little easier on the Bachelor or Bachelorette, but this wasn’t the case for Ali. On the contrary, things only got harder for her this week and it led to easily the most emotional rose ceremony we’ve had with her.

Ali’s week started in Tampa with Roberto. I did find it a little funny how Ali told a little white lie to his family when they asked about her first impression of Roberto. I don’t think she wanted to say that to the family that she initially thought he was hot. You can clearly see Roberto comes from a beautiful, loving family, and it’s easy to see why he’s such a good, caring man. Quick question for you: Did the baseball uniform work for you like it did for Ali? She was really excited to see him in uniform.

If Roberto’s hometown visit was great I don’t have the words in my simple little head to describe Chris’s hometown in Cape Cod. If you didn’t get emotional while watching this, you seriously need to check and see if you have a heart. Chris is such a terrific guy who has such perspective on life, and he obviously comes about that honestly from his family. His “pops” Ed is such a dear, beautiful man. You truly have to marvel at the attitude and outlook he has on life and love after the year he and his family have just had. The scene where Chris and his dad were talking on the porch about what his mom would think was moving to say the least. Fortunately, the other guys don’t get to see each other’s hometown dates, because after Roberto and Chris, who would want to try to measure up to that?

Kirk was next in Green Bay, Wisconsin. This hometown goes back to why I love this episode so much: You get to see such diversity across this great country and what makes people who they are. Yes, Ali was freaked out by Kirk’s dad’s workshop with all the dead animals, but that’s who he is and what he does. It was something so foreign to Ali, but that’s part of getting to know somebody’s family. Kirk’s family dynamic was obviously different than the others, but in the end it really didn’t seem to matter. As Ali said, he may not have had the best example of marriage, but he is loved and supported like no other, and that’s what counts.

Frank’s hometown visit in Chicago was by far the most interesting to me. While overall they had a great time and Ali ended up giving him a rose, they both continue to struggle with each other. Ali continues to worry why she can’t quite figure him out, and Frank continues to struggle with this process. He gets inside his own head so much that he begins to over-analyze the situation and their relationship. Ali is starting to worry now about the fact that it may not be the process he’s questioning, but rather it’s her he’s not sure about. This is clearly not over, and as you saw in the previews, it will come to a head next week in Tahiti.

After traveling around the world it was nice to be back in the old Bachelor/Bachelorette pad for the deliberation and rose ceremony. After all these years, there’s something very comfortable about that place. Somebody asked via Twitter this week about that house and who owns it. It is privately owned, and we have rented it out over the years to shoot all our shows. I feel a little bit like it’s my second home now as I’ve spent so much time there over the years. It probably didn’t look like it on TV, but deliberation was extremely difficult this week. Ali was exhausted and not at all looking forward to this rose ceremony. As I said above, I can’t remember a season where the final four have been so evenly matched. I felt for Ali; she was about to break up with somebody who had given her absolutely no reason to do so. She so wanted one of these guys or families to give her a reason, but instead they all made it that much tougher. It was an emotional, difficult night and it took us quite some time to shoot that deliberation.

In the end Ali chose to send Kirk home. Like last week when she sent Ty home, it was really more about her feelings for the other guys than anything that was wrong with Kirk. Ali just sees herself with Roberto, Frank and Chris more than she can with Kirk at this time. Next week we are off to Tahiti for exotic dates. I’m sure you’ve heard or seen in our previews that the situation with Frank comes to a head in this episode. Like the Justin situation, this is something you may think you know all about, but you truly have to see and hear it unfold for yourself. Something like this happening at such a late stage in this process will set in motion a series of events that will shape not only the rest of this season, but also Ali’s final decision and the future of all remaining on the show.

Each week, Ali Fedotowsky is sharing her thoughts about new episodes of The Bachelorette. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” she says of her season. After saying goodbye to Ty in Porto, Portugal, Ali writes in about her hometown dates and meeting the families of her four remaining suitors:

I want to start off by addressing a few of the comments on last week’s blog (yes, I read them, and thanks for all of the support. I appreciate every word). It seems as though many of you question whether or not I am serious about finding a husband. I don’t really know how to respond to this other than to ask all of you to have faith in me. I am doing my absolute best to make decisions that are right for me and the guys. I am just a normal person, like all of you, that’s trying to find love.

Now onto this week’s episode! I was glad to be back in the U.S. and moving onto hometowns. Don’t get me wrong, I loved traveling. But I missed the little things about home and I was glad to be back after being away for so long. I also need to comment on how many times I said “amazing” in this episode! (Jimmy Kimmel, I know you are going to get a kick out of the count this week). Let’s just say it really was an AMAZING week . Now let’s talk about these dates:

I had the best time on my baseball date with Roberto. We played in the park for a couple of hours and loved every minute of it! I know I say it every episode, but how hot is Roberto?! Especially in that baseball uniform … I am one lucky girl! I was so thrilled when he gave me his Steeple Cats baseball card. The Steeple Cats are a baseball team in the town next to my hometown. How crazy is it that Roberto and I were in the same town in the summer of 2002 when he played for them?!?! Another fun thing about the baseball card is that it has the name of my local newspaper on the back — the North Adams Transcript. It reminded me of all the clippings my mom has kept of me playing soccer from the newspaper over the years.

Roberto’s dad asked me about personal goals and how I would balance that with his son’s goals. I am glad that I answered him honestly and let him know that Roberto and I would share all responsibilities at home and at work. Being part of a marriage where all responsibility is shared equally is very important to me. I really respect Roberto’s dad for asking me tough questions.

A conversation you didn’t see is the one I had with Roberto’s mom, Olga, who is such a sweet, lovely woman. She actually gave me a crystal heart inscribed with the words “Love Never Fails.” My mom gives me similar things, so this gift meant a lot to me. Roberto’s mom also taught me to cook tostones. I don’t cook, but I would definitely be willing to learn for Roberto . The night ended perfectly. Did you see the way his parents salsa danced together? Such chemistry between the two of them. I know I would have a lot of fun with Roberto’s family.

Onto the Cape. The most important part about my visit with Chris is how being at home relaxed him. He was almost a completely different person. I think Chris was really nervous throughout this journey and that’s why we had a hard time connecting. At home in Cape Cod Chris was completely himself. It was so wonderful to see that side of him. I got much closer to him on this date. I loved that it started at the beach during a rainstorm. There is something incredibly romantic about that. I definitely want to be with a person who can go out in a rainstorm with me and just have fun. Even if it means ruining my boots. Oh well, so worth it! Also, how cute is his dog Jetty?

We laughed about the beer in my purse because I actually had a beer in my purse earlier … long story. Also, I want to clear up the story that I told about the bracelet last week. Chris joked with me that it was my “get-out-of-jail-free card.” We thought it was a funny joke. Luckily, I never had to use it. Chris’s dad is an incredible person. I am so grateful to have the chance to get to know him. I love that their family slogan is “love is the only reality.” I think that is especially relevant in this situation.

Next stop, Wisconsin. Kirk‘s dad and stepmother were also great. I know his dad’s basement was a little much for a lot of people, including myself, but I have to respect him for doing what he loves. After I got over the initial shock of all the stuffed animals, I got to sit down and have a really nice chat with Kirk’s dad. He even showed me how to put a deer eye in a foam deer head. If I can’t find a job after the show is over, Kirk’s dad said there is a future for me in taxidermy.

Kirk’s grandma reminded me so much of my grandma. I heart her. My grandma also cared so much that everyone at the table was happy and content before she could even think about eating her food. All the women in Kirk’s life are great. I’m sure they gave him lots of love when he went home.

Last but not least, we take on Chicago! I absolutely love Chicago, so I was really excited that this was my last hometown date. To be honest, this visit was one I was most looking forward to so I was a little bit disappointed when Frank seemed off at the start of our date. But I didn’t think much of it because Frank was always concerned about the process so I just thought he needed reassurance and it would pass. I was surprised to hear Frank say that love is complicated. I’m hoping that my relationship with my husband is the one thing in my life that isn’t complicated. Yes, there will be tough times and we will have to work hard at it, but I never want to wonder if that person is right for me.

You didn’t see my conversation with Frank’s dad. He told me he doesn’t think Frank is ready to be in a committed relationship. I was unsure what to think about those comments, but was grateful that his dad was being completely honest with me. When he first told me this, I thought he was talking about Frank not being financially ready to settle down, but as you can see in the previews, that wasn’t the case. I had a great time with Frank’s family. They are super funny and easy to get along with. I was laughing the entire time I was with them.

It was incredibly difficult for me to say goodbye to Kirk. I didn’t want him to feel like his family had anything to do with my decision. His family was great. Last season when I was on The Bachelor, my dad was at my hometown visit and met Jake but it was never shown on TV. I remember my dad calling me and asking, “Did I do something wrong?” It was so heartbreaking to hear him say that. I don’t want Kirk’s family to feel like they did something wrong. In fact, since I am unable to speak to them, I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for inviting me into their homes. I really enjoyed meeting all of you. You’re a great guy, Kirk. One of the strongest men I have ever known .

ALI SWEEPS THE FINAL THREE MEN AWAY TO THE ROMANTIC PARADISE OF TAHITIFOR STEAMY FANTASY OVERNIGHT DATES, BUT FRANK HAS UNFINISHED BUSINESSTO ATTEND TO BEFORE HE CAN COMMIT TO ALI, ON ABC'S "THE BACHELORETTE"

"Episode 609" - Romantic adventures await Ali and the final three bachelors - Chris L., Frank and Roberto - as they travel to the tropical heaven of Tahiti and the possibility of intimate overnight dates. There's electricity and passion in the air during these wonderful sand and surf excursions, as Ali continues to explore what her future would be like with each of these potential partners and is faced with extending an invitation to each bachelor to spend the night in a "fantasy suite." However, while Chris and Roberto head to the South Pacific, Frank needs to stay behind in Chicago to make some major life decisions that will have serious repercussions for Ali's journey to find love, on "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, JULY 19 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Ali kicks off her Tahitian escape with a spectacular helicopter tour over Le Taha'a with Roberto. They land in the middle of a heart-shaped island where they spend an intimate day swimming in the crystal blue water. Sparks fly as the couple share a romantic dinner, but will Ali learn that there's something more behind this bachelor's passionate kisses than just plain chemistry?

The next day Ali surprises Chris L. with a boat ride on a luxurious 75-foot catamaran. Although this relationship grew out of friendship, their steamy connection on the yacht proves there is romance in the air. After the boat docks offshore of a private island, the couple dive, hunt for pearls and swim ashore, and are treated to a gorgeous Tahitian sunset. That evening during a private dinner on the island, Chris continues to open up to Ali, but will she offer him the fantasy suite card, giving him an opportunity to share precious private time that could take their relationship to the next level?

The following day, Ali eagerly awaits her final exotic date - a day of sailing in paradise - with Frank. But he has other things on his mind. Shortly after Ali arrives at his hut, Frank delivers some shocking news that leaves Ali reeling and instantly changes the course of her search to find love.

Ali has experienced a different path to love with each of these men, but now she's more confused than she ever expected to be. After an emotional deliberation, she moves forward. She and the final two men toast to their final destination - Bora Bora - where the bachelors will meet her family. Is there a fairytale ending in Ali's future?

Somebody asked me via Twitter this week how the show changes after we get to the hometown dates. That’s a great question, especially because it really had an impact on what happened with Frank this week. Once we get to the hometown dates, everything is cranked up a notch. The guys really don’t see each other anymore — except at the rose ceremonies. The process becomes a lot more personal and emotional, and each guy has a lot more time to think about his own relationship with Ali — or in Frank’s case, to think about other relationships as well. I’ll give you my thoughts on Frank in just a bit, but first let’s discuss our final two men.

Although it was a wild rollercoaster ride to get here, I truly believe Ali has narrowed it down to two really good men. As you heard on their date, Roberto opened up and told Ali he’s falling in love with her. This was huge for Ali, as she’s always been a little worried Roberto was just too good to be true. One funny story from their date to that heart-shaped island of Tupai: Roberto picked up Ali and ran into the water. Well, guys do that expecting the water to get deep, and therefore they dive right in. Except that in Tahiti, it never really gets deep unless you run out about half a mile. Roberto quickly realized this and just stopped and laughed.

Ali also heard what she needed to from Chris this week. How moving was it when they were sitting by the pool in the fantasy suite and he hugged her and said “God I love you”? You can just tell with Chris that it’s taken a great effort for him to get to this point, and he seems almost relieved to feel this way again about a woman.

Now let’s talk about Frank. I knew he was going back to Chicago to see his ex Nicole before he joined us in Tahiti. It was my understanding that Frank felt like before he could fully give himself to Ali, he needed closure on his relationship with Nicole. I understood this and actually respected the fact that he felt that strongly about it. Obviously, everything changed once he saw Nicole. The day I went to talk to Frank, I was still under the impression he had officially ended things with his ex and was ready to move on with Ali. Once I heard he wanted to talk to me that morning, I assumed something was up. Talking with Frank was difficult. I had gotten to know the guy pretty well, so I knew this was tough on him. Even though I knew he would be hurting Ali, and I was disappointed in him for that, I have to admit part of me felt a little sorry for him. I think he overthinks situations and — though I hope I’m wrong — I’m not a hundred percent sure he knows what he really wants right now in his life. I do hope I’m wrong, and I hope he and Nicole truly do love each other and find happiness together.

Much like Jason Mesnick did with Molly, Frank took a huge risk, knowing full well that most of America would be angry with him, but he did it anyway. As you could tell, Ali had absolutely no idea about any of this when she arrived that day for what she thought was going to be a romantic date. She was floored. Looking back at their relationship, though, was this really a huge surprise? Ali and Frank always seemed to have something hanging over their relationship. How many times do people try to change the bad boy, fix the problem, or become the caretaker in a relationship, and how many times does that actually work out? We’ve all done it, and we can all relate to exactly what Ali went through with Frank. I do have to give Ali major props for the line she delivered to Frank when he said that he, too, gave up everything to be here. She quickly replied “apparently not everything.” Well played, girl.

When I walked out to sit by Ali on the beach, she was crushed. I felt so bad for her. I know it’s hard for viewers to understand, but even on a good day, this process will make you question everything about yourself. For this surprise to happen this late in the process made Ali so vulnerable and feel so weak and helpless, and I hated that. This situation was completely different than Justin leaving earlier. Her relationship with Frank was very real, and she could already see a life together with him. To have the rug pulled out from under you at this point can be devastating. I was really proud to see that after a good night’s sleep and time to reflect, she showed up to deliberation with a really good perspective on life again.

I really look forward to reading your comments on Frank this week. How do you think he handled the situation with his ex Nicole? How do think he handled the situation with Ali? Does is make any difference to you if he ends up living happily ever after with Nicole? Again, the guys don’t see each other before the rose ceremonies, so they had no idea Frank was gone. You couldn’t really tell on the show, but once Roberto got there, I walked off as if I was going to get Frank. I was really just waiting for Ali to get ready. I walked back up the stairs alone, and Chris and Roberto were completely confused. Ali did a super job explaining the situation.

Some of you might ask: Would Frank have gotten a rose if he had stayed? The answer is maybe, but we’ll never know. As you saw at this point, Ali is in love or falling in love with all three of these guys. There is very little separating them at this point. That’s what makes this season so compelling. In seasons past, it’s been more cut and dry, and the choice seemed obvious. That’s just not the case this year.

Before I sign off I want to say a little something about the beautiful country of Tahiti and the island of Taha’a. Because of this show I’ve been fortunate enough to travel to the most beautiful parts of this planet. It’s very rare that you’ll hear so much hype about a place, and that place will live up to all that hype, but Tahiti absolutely did. As Ali told you, next we’re off to Bora Bora, but before the finale, it’s the “Men Tell All” episode. I’m looking forward to seeing most of the guys again. We have some great stuff planned that I know you’ll enjoy. Is it true what I heard about Kasey? Guess we’ll all find out together next week!

Each week, Ali Fedotowsky is sharing her thoughts about new episodes of The Bachelorette. “You’re going to see me get mad, cry, be happy, stressed out,” she says of her season. After visiting the families of the final four men and saying goodbye to Kirk last week, Ali writes in about her heartbreaking trip to Tahiti and the two “unbelievable” guys, Roberto and Chris, who are still on the show:

I want to start off by saying thank you so very much for all the wonderful comments on last week’s blog. I really enjoyed reading all of them. Thank you SOPHIE C, PATTIE, MADDI, JENNIFER, MEGAN PA, KATIE, JON, ERIN, KATHY ROBERTS, JOHNETTE, ANDY, CHERYL RYAN, DENISE C, CHRISTINA, CELIA, EMILY, JANIS, KRISTEN ASHLEY, JUSTSOMETHINGBORROWED, KATHLEEN FLANAGAN, MICHELE, and many more!

Now let’s talk about these dates. We made it to Tahiti … finally! I cannot even tell you how long I have wanted to go to Tahiti. I am so very grateful for everything.

I was so glad my first date was with Roberto. He can make even the most ordinary place seem romantic, so I couldn’t even imagine how wonderful our time in Tahiti was going to be. I felt so bad for him though, because he was always sweating! Poor guy. You’ll notice that in one of his interviews he is holding a hand towel. He carried that thing around because he was so sweaty. It was super hot in Tahiti.

When Roberto and I flew over the heart shaped lagoon I could not believe how beautiful it was. I couldn’t help but giggle when I watched our date on TV because you’re literally shown about 60 seconds of me and Roberto making out. I swear we talked in between those moments. I said three or four words at least. Ha! Sometimes nothing needs to be said … you just know there is a connection. But in all seriousness, we did have some really great conversations on our date. Roberto is truly a wonderful man.

I could not wait to get some alone time with Roberto during our overnight date. Something really funny actually happened that night. It was about 4 a.m. (we were up all night talking) and all the power in our hut went out. We decided to stay in the hut anyway until the temperature climbed to about 100 degrees. We were dying of heat! So at 5 a.m., we snuck out of the fantasy suite and went back to my personal hut on the island. I remember trying to dodge the resort staff 007-style because we weren’t supposed to leave the room. Once we got to my room, Roberto was a little bit shocked to see how messy it was. Seriously, you could barely see the floor! Ha. My only excuse was that I threw everything around trying to find the perfect outfit for our date together.

My date with Chris was full of excitement. First of all, how cool was it that we found pearls? It was unbelievable. We also went fishing during our date. The fish count: Ali 2, Chris 0. I totally kicked his butt. First flip cup and now fishing. Time to step it up, Chris! But Chris definitely wins in the swimming department. I am not a strong swimmer at all. In fact, I tend to sink like a rock. Chris was carrying me to shore because I honestly wouldn’t have made it otherwise. Once we got to shore, we cooked the fish we caught. I remember taking the machete we had and trying to filet the fish myself. I ended up cutting my finger and Chris took really good care of me.

It was so great when Chris opened up at dinner. I wasn’t expecting that from him. Since our relationship did develop a little bit slower, I thought maybe it would take awhile for him to open further. I was so glad that he could express himself in this setting. I also love that our date was both romantic and fun. We had sweet moments and were able to laugh and joke around, too. Chris is such a great guy.

At the end of the night, we got to do fire-dancing with Polynesian dancers that came over to our private island. When Chris first saw the fire dancers, he asked if he was going to have to wrestle someone again (like in Turkey). Ha! It was really funny. Leave it to Chris to make me laugh.

Now onto the biggest shock of the season for me — Frank leaving. I don’t even know where to begin when trying to explain how I felt when this all went down. I guess I will start by saying that I did not expect it at all. Back in Iceland, I asked Frank about his ex girlfriends. I told him that I could sense that he was not over his ex, so I asked if he still had feeling for the ex that went to Paris with him. He told me that he did not have feelings for her anymore and we moved passed it. My instincts were dead on. I just didn’t have the right ex. I really wish that Frank had been more honest with me. This wasn’t the only time I gave him a chance to be honest. In Turkey, after Justin left, I went up to the guys’ suite, looked each of them in the eye and told them that if any of them had someone back home this was their chance to say something. I flat out asked everyone. Frank said nothing. If Frank has found love, then I really want to be happy for him. However, I have a hard time excusing what he did to me when I gave him so many chances to be honest.

I remember talking with the producers the night before my date with Frank. He and I were supposed to go sailing but something happened last minute with the boat and they had to plan a different activity. I was so upset because I wanted Frank to have an amazing date and didn’t want to take anything away from him. The producers and I were finally able to find another boat for Frank and I to go sailing on. Unfortunately, after all that work, it turned out that we didn’t really need it.

When I first saw Frank I thought maybe he was feeling unsure about the other guys again and that I had to reassure him again. Then I thought maybe something tragic happened and I was super worried for him. I quickly realized that Frank was leaving. I was heartbroken.

After Frank left, I felt defeated. Don’t get me wrong, I was very well aware that I had two unbelievable men left, but I couldn’t help but think that my journey as the Bachelorette wasn’t going to work out. This was not because I thought Frank was the guy for me, but because this was the second guy to leave the show for a girl back home. I remember thinking, “First Justin, now Frank. Who’s next? Can this really work for me?” In addition to that, I didn’t want the last two guys to think they were there by default. I think this was especially emotional for me because it has happened to me before in the past. A guy that I once really cared about left me for an ex.

In the end, Frank and I are both better off after what happened. I really cared for him and I always will.

I really loved the rose ceremony during this episode. It was so carefree and happy. No stress like all of the previous ceremonies. Chris Harrison was sweating so badly under his jacket during our talk before the ceremony. I remember joking with him about how it was payback since I had to wear a dress during the first rose ceremony when it was freezing outside. Speaking of Chris, I want to take a second to say how much I appreciate him. He was really there for me when I needed him this week and I really can’t thank him enough for that.

And finally, I just want to comment on how lucky I am to have Chris and Roberto left. I am truly blessed.

ALI FACES THE MEN SHE REJECTED, AS 14 JILTED BACHELORSCONFRONT HER ON "THE BACHELORETTE: THE MEN TELL ALL,"MONDAY, JULY 26 ON ABC

A Sneak Peek at the New, Sizzling Series, "Bachelor Pad," Will Also Be Showcased

"The Men Tell All" -- It's an explosive reunion viewers won't want to miss, as the most memorable bachelors from this season - including Kasey, Kirk, Craig R., Ty, Jonathan and Derrick "The Shooter" -- return to confront each other and Ali one last time on national television to dish the dirt and tell their side of the story. The men will discuss the difficulty of competing for Ali and focus on one of the most controversial bachelors of the season - Justin. Shocking revelations from Jessie, Justin's ex-girlfriend who surprises the group, confirm all the stories about the entertainment wrestler's passionate past. Exciting and funny unseen moments from one of the most dramatic "Bachelorette" seasons ever will also be featured, along with a special preview of the new series "Bachelor Pad," on "The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All," MONDAY, JULY 26 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

Although one of the guys on everyone's lips this season - Justin - declined to be in the studio, that didn't stop the rest of the men from discussing his shocking exit from Turkey or from offering their opinions of this bachelor who had not one but two girlfriends back home in Canada. Kirk reveals new information that validates the shocking voicemail messages from Justin to his girlfriend Jessica.

Then a surprise guest enters - It's Jessie from Jake Pavelka's season, who tipped Ali to Justin's secret love life. She explains why she came forward, having confirmation that Justin and Jessica were in a committed relationship. She even saw the text messages between the couple.

A devastated Kirk takes the hot seat and explains how tough it was to be rejected by Ali and also how he was understandably upset with Frank for "taking [his] place in Tahiti." He does credit Ali, however, for letting him see that he was now ready to find somebody to spend the rest of his life with.

Kasey, who went to extremes to win Ali's love, discusses his broken heart and his famed tattoo. He also has a surprise for Ali and stands firm that he was himself on the series, whether that scared the Bachelorette or whether he came on too strong.

Things heat up as the guys rip into one another. Jonathan explains why he thought Craig M. was dangerous. And the men make it known that they were unhappy with Frank's "selfish" behavior in regard to Ali and his girlfriend back home, Nicole.

It's the bachelors like you've never seen them before! The special also includes a sneak peek at the season finale and the final two bachelors, Chris L. and Roberto, vying for Ali's heart and the final rose.

Finally, we get a preview of the hot new show, "Bachelor Pad," which premieres on ABC, Monday, August 9 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET).

I really wasn’t sure just how good this “Men Tell All” episode was going to be, mostly because I worried the guys were too buddy-buddy to give us any solid content. Oh how I was wrong! We shot this episode in a new, much bigger studio than the one we usually use. That meant we could fit even more fans in to see the show, which really helped crank up the atmosphere and excitement. I love hosting shows in front of a live studio audience.

The sit-down interviews I did with Ali to start the show were a blast. These little post-game chats have become a tradition now, and I love doing them. We shoot them after the show has been wrapped, so everybody has had time to watch the show back and really reflect on what’s happened. Ali was obviously relaxed and in a good place, so it was fun to go back over everything that had happened. As for the scenes you didn’t get to see, well apparently Ali didn’t remember all of them, either. It was hysterical how she forgot the space-helmet bit. I loved that our producer Cassie had the footage up on her computer, and we just brought it into the interview. Ali and I were laughing our butts off on that one.

We’ll hear much more from Frank next week when he appears with me on the “After the Final Rose” special, but it was very interesting to hear what the guys thought of him. I agreed with Craig R when he said this situation was very different than the Rated R situation. I look forward to talking to Frank next week because, honestly, I have more questions than answers right now: How did he and Nicole leave it when they broke up? When exactly did they break up? And what was their relationship when he came on the show? And that’s just for starters. Again, we’ll get all those answers next week on the “AFR” special.

Kasey was a very good sport at the special. I found it funny how all the guys gave him such backhanded compliments. “Yeah, you’re completely crazy but I love ya.” The thing I really wanted to hear from Kasey was where all the “guard and protect your heart” stuff came from, because I knew it had something to do with his past. Kasey’s been hurt badly before and he really didn’t want to see that happen to Ali. Maybe he didn’t go about presenting it the right way, but to a certain extent, you have to respect his sincerity. As a non-tattoo guy, I still have to say I don’t get the tat! No amount of explanation convinces me that was a good idea. I loved when Kasey got up toward the end of the show and sang another song for Ali. He still can’t sing worth a damn, but I told him afterward if he had shown that kind of personality during the season, he probably would have stayed around longer.

The segment with Kirk was the toughest by far. I could tell he really had strong feelings for Ali and was still a little hurt and confused as to what went wrong. It was also interesting to hear his take on Frank. If anybody got screwed by Frank’s selfishness, it was Kirk. I was glad he was honest about his feelings, saying even though he likes Frank as a person, he’s a little pissed he took that extra time away from him and Ali. It probably wouldn’t have made a difference in the end, but you never know, and that’s what bothered Kirk.

I’m not sure I can say anything more about Justin that Craig R didn’t say himself. I will admit I was a bit surprised at just how much the guys dislike Justin as a person. I knew they didn’t respect what he did at all, but they really have a dislike for this guy. I wish you could’ve heard the uncensored version of this segment and heard everything that was said. It was brutal! I thought having Jessie on was good because it really opened up and explained in even more detail just how sinister this dude is and was on our show. It was really disgusting to learn about the two girlfriends that live just miles apart and hear about the text messages and lies.

Overall we had a lot of fun taping the show, and as usual the biggest hit with the guys and the audience was the blooper reel. As I’ve said before, this group is as tight a group of guys as we’ve ever had on this show, and that made it really entertaining to shoot.

Now the fun and games are over and next week is the season finale. I can’t wait for all of you to see exactly what went down in Bora Bora. We will have much to talk about next week. In the meantime, I have something for you to pass the time. The Bachelor video game is out for WII and Nintendo DS gaming systems. I got a copy of the game and had fun playing it with the family. Well, that is until my son got the final rose from Deanna and was asking me about the fantasy suite. That’s when I realized it’s not quite time to have that discussion yet. But seriously, the game is a lot of fun, especially if you’re a fan of the show. It will be perfect for those of you who get together in groups to watch our show. Yes, I’m there every step of the way to help you out.

Oh, one last thing, mark your calendars: Bachelor Pad premieres Aug 9th on ABC, and as you saw in the sneak peak that we aired during the show, it is incredible. I love that show, it’s a lot of fun, and I really think you’ll love it too.

Each week, Ali Fedotowsky is sharing her thoughts about new episodes of The Bachelorette. After getting heartbreaking news in Tahiti and then handing out roses to Roberto and Chris last week, Ali reflects on Justin, Frank and facing the eliminated guys on Monday’s Men Tell All:

Hi everyone!

I want to start off by saying it was so great to see all the guys at the Men Tell All special. It is such a strange thing to say goodbye to someone on the show and then all of a sudden they are no longer a part of your life. Seeing everyone again made me feel so good. It validated that everything we had gone though together was real.

I’m glad that some of the guys realized that what Frank did was wrong and slightly selfish. That says a lot about my guys, because they are friends with Frank and it takes strength to call a friend out when they are wrong. In the end, I think we are all on the same page. Frank is a good guy who made some poor choices to stay on the show.

Watching what Kirk had to say during Men Tell All was really touching. After the guys leave during the show, I don’t really have time to reflect on how they must be feeling since I have to focus on the guys I have left. Therefore, it was hard to see how hurt Kirk felt after he left the show. I have so much respect for Kirk and I really hope he find an amazing woman to share his life with.

I am surprised that Justin didn’t show up. Honestly, I think this was his opportunity to finally explain himself after thinking about what happened. If I were Justin, I would have come to the Men Tell All in a spandex “Rated-R” suit and really played up the whole wrestler/villain thing. At the very least, that could have entertained us, plus given him what he always wanted — publicity. Ha ha ha! It was also interesting to hear Jessie talk about how everything came to her attention regarding the Justin thing. I never really knew how this all came about. Such a small world.

Some other random thoughts on the guys…

Kasey should make a CD! I’d buy it! Pure entertainment! Also, Kasey mentioned after the taping that he has a second tattoo. I didn’t dare ask where it was.

Chris N. talked so much! Who is that guy?! Ha ha. That was the funny, outgoing side of him that I never got to see. It is so great that he was able to express himself during Men Tell All.

In general, the Men Tell All was such a great night. I always knew I had a great group of guys, but seeing them all again just reaffirmed how great they really are.

And finally, can you believe that next week is the finale?!?! I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am that all of this is wrapping up. I know there have been a lot of questions out there about whether I am single or whether I am happily engaged. All those questions will finally be answered next week!

Until my future is finally revealed …

xo, Ali Fedotowsky

P.S. How funny was Jonathan‘s parody of Justin’s voicemails? I was cracking up when I watched that. Love Jonathan’s sense of humor.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010ABC Television NetworkPRESS RELEASE - PRESS RELEASE - ENTERTAINMENT -THE BACHELORETTE SEASON FINALE, AND AFTER THE FINAL ROSE (8/2)

SEASON FINALE

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST ROMANTIC AND DRAMATIC NIGHTS EVER ON ABC,ON THE SEASON FINALE OF "THE BACHELORETTE," MONDAY, AUGUST 2

And Immediately Following the Season Finale, Both Chris L. and Roberto Join Ali to Look Back at the Dramatic Ending to Her Journey to Find Love,on "The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose"

"Episode 610" - In this gripping special conclusion, Ali, who began her search for love with 25 bachelors, has survived a dramatic, rocky road and found herself falling in love with two wonderful men, Chris L. and Roberto. As she prepares to make one of the most difficult decisions of her life, she invites the two remaining bachelors to Bora Bora, Tahiti to meet her family. Then the men have one last chance to lay their hearts on the line, each trying to guarantee that he will be the one to get Ali's final rose. But Ali, who has risked everything for a second chance at love, has always feared that she might fall in love but not be loved back. When she finally lays it all on the line, will she find love or leave paradise with a broken heart, on the Season Finale of "The Bachelorette," MONDAY, AUGUST 2 (8:00-10:02 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network.

With Ali's search for her soul mate over, she talks to Chris Harrison about her final three bachelors this season in "After the Final Rose" special. She'll take viewers back to exotic Tahiti when Frank dropped his bombshell announcement: He was in love with his ex-girlfriend and was breaking off his relationship with Ali. She will share how Frank's decision not only left her completely heartbroken, but questioning herself and what she was looking for in a man. Ali will discuss her different relationships with the final two men and the last minute, heart-wrenching decision which changed all of their lives forever. Both Chris L. and Roberto come back to sit with Ali and talk about the shocking outcome of the series. It's an emotional conclusion to Ali's heartfelt journey to find true love, on "The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose," MONDAY, AUGUST 2 (10:02-11:00 p.m., ET).

Ali's relationships with final two men evolved differently - with Roberto, it was hot and steamy from the start, and with Chris, it grew out of friendship. When Ali arrives In Bora Bora, she's in love with both men and ready to introduce them to her family.

A life-changing decision is quickly approaching, and Ali looks to her family for input on which incredible man they think would make the best match for her. When Roberto arrives bearing gifts, he makes a great impression. He has a heart-to-heart with Ali's mom, who says she's never seen her daughter so happy. After having a serious talk with Ali's dad to ask for her hand, Roberto is ready to get the entire group up to dance and have a good time.

When Ali's family find out that Chris L. is from their home state, he is an immediate hit. They're especially impressed with his devotion to his family, especially during difficult times. He, too, asks Ali's dad for her hand, and then the group has a great time laughing and splashing in the clear blue water. In the end, Ali's family offers glowing reviews about both men, and they encourage her to trust her heart and do whatever she feels is best for her in the end. Ali has to hope her last chance dates with these final to men will bring clarity to an impossible decision.

Ali's date with Roberto starts a fun day in the sun - jet skiing, swimming with stingrays and picnicking. However, with the sunset, their date turns more serious and Roberto takes this last chance to tell Ali exactly how he feels.

On another beautiful day in Bora Bora, the mood becomes emotional and Ali goes to her date with Chris L. with a new perspective. She meets the excited bachelor to start their fantastic day together, and their relationship takes a surprising turn.

From the very beginning of her journey, Ali has been open about her feelings, emotions and even her insecurities. For the first time ever, an unexpected turn of events leaves her risking it all for love. Ali has laid it all on the line and the end is here. But will she find the man of her dreams and get her happily ever after?

I’m so happy this season is finally over and you’ve all seen how it really ended — and how beautiful that ending really was. There were more rumors, wild stories, and supposed leaks this year than ever before. I’ve wanted to tell all of you just how great this season really was, but didn’t want to give anything away and ruin the ending. Why anybody would ever want to destroy the ending of a show for you, I’ll never understand. Some people just have this need to tear down what others create.

I’ll be honest: Ali truly couldn’t have made a bad choice with her final two. Chris and Roberto are two of the finest men we’ve ever had on this show. Obviously in the end, Roberto was the right man for Ali. In true form this season, where rules are made to be broken, Ali took a bold step and let Chris go before their final date. I really respect Ali for doing this, and I know Chris does as well. Ali felt so much for Chris, respected him so much, that she didn’t want to lead him on any further when she was clearly one hundred percent in love with Roberto. While this was a respectful move, it was also a gamble. At this point, Ali was hoping for a proposal from Roberto, but she couldn’t be sure she would get one. This also changed things dramatically for the production. We not only lost a date that we would normally show you, but we also lost half of our proposal day. Like Ali, we never really know if there’s going to be a proposal until the bachelor gets down on one knee and pops the question. This is one reason I know this show is so compelling. When we’re taping that final day, we’re glued to our TV monitors just like you, waiting to see what happens.

When Roberto got down on one knee and proposed to Ali, we all went nuts just like you and your friends probably did. I know Roberto looked a little hot and sweaty, but he had good reason. First of all, he was about to propose and that’s enough reason to make any man sweat. What’s more, Roberto arrived by boat, and while trying to jump to me on shore, he missed and went ankle deep into the ocean in his tux. We then had to climb straight up a mountain to get to Ali — scaling about 100 stairs in ninety-degree heat and ninety percent humidity. The climb was obviously well worth it considering the view from the top of that mountain overlooking all of Bora Bora.

I have to admit I rather enjoyed not having a second guy in the mix for that final day. It meant that the day was going to be nothing but positive. I always hate that awkward meeting with the person who isn’t going to be chosen. By this point in the season, I know them very well and hate that they’re about to be hurt. So this time it was all good as Roberto was the only guy left, and I knew his feelings for Ali and vice versa. The only question remaining was whether there would be a proposal. It was a beautiful proposal, and I know these two truly love each other. I’ve seen Ali on several occasions and spent time with the two of them on the “After the Final Rose” set. They are incredibly happy and looking forward to moving in together and starting their new life together.

Speaking of the AFR special, I want to talk about Frank and his non-appearance. Last week in this blog, I talked about looking forward to speaking to Frank. We intentionally kept Frank off the “Men Tell All” episode so we could do a more in-depth interview on AFR. I was incredibly disappointed to find out he decided on his own not to show up. I find myself and many others constantly having to apologize for and defend Frank. I can’t do that for him on this one. He could have very easily shown up to face Ali, step up, and own what he did. I hear he and Nicole are doing well, and I wish them all the happiness in the world. All the more reason he should have shown up and just owned what he had done and how he feels. I don’t think anybody can blame the guy for not loving Ali and falling back in love with another woman. The heart wants what it wants. But the true measure of a man is how you handle it.

Next Monday night I hope you’ll join me for our new show Bachelor Pad. It’s everything a Bachelor fan could ever want and a little more. It’s fun, sexy, don’t-think-too-hard summer TV at its best. Sit back and enjoy! I want to put a bow on this season of the Bachelorette by thanking you, our fans, for once again making this franchise a huge success. And I want to say congratulations to Ali and Roberto: I wish you two all the best in your new life together.

Each week, Ali Fedotowsky has shared her thoughts about her search for love on The Bachelorette. After getting heartbreaking news in Tahiti and then handing out roses to Roberto and Chris two weeks ago, Ali made her big decision on Monday’s episode. In her final blog post, Ali reflects on her journey, Chris, Roberto and her future. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

I want to start off by saying thank you. This whole experience has been unbelievable and I am so grateful for all the support I have received from all of you. Now that the show has finished, I promise to keep in touch with all of you on my Facebook and Twitter pages. I actually can’t wait to respond to everyone! It’s fun sharing this wonderful experience with others.

Honestly, all week I have been thinking about what I should write in this blog. How could I possibly put into words how I was feeling during this episode?! After much thought, I decided to call on the one person I knew could help me — Roberto. When I asked him, he said, “Start from the beginning. Tell our love story.” So that’s exactly what I am going to do! Instead of just giving you my thoughts on the finale, I am going to start at the beginning. I won’t be able to share everything, but I just want to share little things that made me fall in love with him along the way. But before I do that, let me say a few last things about another wonderful man — Chris.

Chris is one of the most wonderful men I have ever known. He handles himself in such a way that you can’t help but be drawn to him. My family absolutely loved him, and they really loved that he was from Massachusetts. In fact, they pretty much loved everything about Chris! We all agreed that he is super fun and a guy that would make a great life partner, but in the end, I had to say goodbye to Chris. As hard at it was, I knew it was the right thing to do. My heart was with Roberto and I knew nothing could change that. I know Chris will find an incredible woman to share his life with. I wish him all the happiness in the world!

I want to take a moment to say that I do not discount any of the other relationships I had along the way. I needed to go through this experience and explore each relationship to its fullest to really figure out what guy was right for me. I value and cherish each relationship that I had along the way and cannot thank all of the guys enough for being there for me. I had special moments with each guy throughout this journey that you may have not seen; however, now is the time for me to tell you about those moments with Roberto.

Now I finally have my chance to tell my love story with Roberto. Yay! The very first night that he stepped out of the limo, I felt this unbelievable connection. When I sat down with my producer Cassie to decide who I wanted to give the first impression rose to, I told her that I had to give it to Roberto because I felt in my heart that he was the one for me. It is so funny to think back to that night now and to remember how strong our connection was. I couldn’t explain it at the time, but now I know it couldn’t have been anything other than love at first sight. Chris’s dad actually told me that when his wife first saw him she said, “That is the man I am going to marry.” I had a similar experience with Roberto. Such a blessing!

As you remember, I did not have a date with Roberto the first week. I wanted to SO badly, but I knew that I was going to keep Roberto around for a long time; therefore, I knew that I could wait. I’m so glad I was patient because our first date the following week was perfect.

After the rose ceremonies, I would often wait in the hallway area for my ride home. One time, I fell asleep for a moment on the steps while waiting, and Roberto came down to kiss me on the forehead and say goodnight before I was brought back home. I’ll never forget that. Also, every time I saw Roberto he told me a Spanish word of the day. Some of the words were: incredible, adventure, smile, strength, adorable, dedicated and love. I will leave it to Roberto to translate. I’m still learning! Actually, since the show finished, I went out and bought Rosetta Stone so I can learn Spanish. Spanish is a huge part of Roberto’s life so it is really important to me that learn to speak it. Check in with me in six months and ask me how I’m doing!

Lion King was another one of those unforgettable experiences for us. I truly belie that I could not have done that with any of the other guys. Roberto’s calm confidence helped me get through it.

You didn’t get to see much of us in Iceland. Our time at the Blue Lagoon was unbelievably romantic. I saved a special cave within the Lagoon for our one-on-one time, and things certainly got steamy in there!

Our relationship continued to grow in Turkey and Portugal. I especially remember not wanting to leave him after our date in Lisbon. Dancing in the street with Roberto seems like something you only see in the movies; however, that is life for us! Since the show has ended, we have had secret rendezvous together. During those visits, Roberto will spin me around in the living room and just start dancing with me. He is every bit as romantic at home as he was in Lisbon. I cherish that about him.

I was by far the most nervous visiting Roberto’s family, just because I really wanted to make a good impression. Roberto’s parents have such a lovely marriage. We will truly be lucky if our relationship is as successful as theirs. You didn’t see much of his brother Pete, his brother’s fiancée Christen, and his sitter Olga; however, they are all just as sweet and caring as Roberto. I am really lucky that I get to be a part of his family. They are wonderful!

Now onto Tahiti! During dinner in Le Taha’a, Roberto and I really wanted to be close to each other. I actually have a picture of us kissing while the audio crew was putting our microphones on us. I’ll have to post it to my Facebook Fan Page sometime so you can see it. It’s so cute! We really couldn’t keep our hands off each other! As I noted in my blog two weeks ago, Roberto and I had some funny experiences during our overnight date. Besides that, we stayed up all night talking. I remember not wanting the night to end. I just kept my iPod on repeat and listened to some of my favorite love songs with him all night. One song that I loved in particular was “Halo” by Beyoncé. I remember listening to that song while watching him sleep and thinking, “I have finally found my angel.”

My family absolutely adores Roberto. I love that when my dad gave him permission to propose to me he said, “I don’t see a problem with that.” Ha ha ha. That is classic Daddy Fedotowsky. He cracks me up. That was his way of trying to hide his excitement. My mom told me that during Roberto’s visit she was watching him talk to my sister and brother outside and it brought her to tears because she felt in her heart that she was looking at her future son-in-law. A mother’s intuition is never wrong. I actually think we should do a poll after watching the finale. Instead of asking, “Who will Ali choose?” let’s ask, “Whose family is better at salsa? Ali’s family or Roberto’s family?” Tough choice I know. Ha ha.

I was positive my feelings for Roberto were unbreakable once we had our final date. It was perfect. We experienced some thrills (jet skiing and sting rays) and a lot of romance (how amazing with the rain?!?!). The reason I didn’t tell Roberto that I loved him back at the end of our date is because I hadn’t said goodbye to Chris yet, and I felt it wasn’t right for me to tell Roberto I loved him when I couldn’t give him my whole heart yet. However, in time, I was able to tell him exactly how I felt. His proposal to me is the most beautiful thing I could possibly imagine. I actually remember saying to a friend that if I was proposed to on the show it would just be a temporary proposal, and that I would want the guy to propose again out in the “real world.” Wow, do I feel differently now. Roberto’s proposal couldn’t have been more real or special. I wouldn’t ever want anything other than exactly how he asked me. Every word he said came from his heart, and I feel so blessed that he said those words to me. After Roberto and I saw the proposal for the first time at the After the Final Rose taping, we went home and watched it about 10 more times that night. After re-watching it so many times, we promised each other that whenever we get in a fight, we are going to pop the finale in the DVD player and remember that moment. So glad we have that on film.

And finally, I realize that many of you are skeptical of relationships that come out of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette experience, and I am not asking you to feel any different about what I have found. But what I do want to say is this: I have found a love that is stronger than I ever thought was possible. Since the show finished filming, I have fallen even more in love with Roberto. Will we last the test of time? I cannot answer that for you. All I can say is that we will work on our relationship every day, and no matter what we do in our lives, we will always make our relationship our first priority. Roberto is the strongest man I have ever known, and I want spend every day of my life striving to be the best woman I can be for him. I have faith in our relationship. I love him. I cherish him. I am so very thankful to have found him.